Burlingame supports new gun safety policies

The policy mirrors a model recently adopted by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, which Burlingame officials admired while simultaneously considering other, more stringent gun safety regulations.

Though no decision was made during the meeting, and the issue will return for further examination later, officials favored the policy which they hope will make the community more safe.

“I do not want Burlingame to be a city in which any child, or any person, is harmed by a gun if the four, five of us sitting up here and our staff can prevent it,” said Mayor Donna Colson.

Under the direction from councilmembers, City Manager Lisa Goldman’s office will work in the immediate term to craft an ordinance requiring Burlingame residents to keep firearms in a secured gun safe or disabled with a trigger lock — an attached device which blocks the trigger from moving unless unlocked.

Councilmembers supported the proposal in the wake of receiving a letter authored by county supervisors Dave Pine and David Canepa, who encouraged local cities to adopt an ordinance similar to the one passed by the county board earlier this year. Councilwoman Ann Keighran recused herself from the discussion among Burlingame officials because she works in Canepa’s office, and helped design the county ordinance.

In making their case for the policy, Canepa and Pine cited studies showing the threat of gun violence increased significantly in homes where weapons are kept. Acknowledging the evidence, Vice Mayor Emily Beach expressed her support for the extra safety initiative.

“This is action we can take and make some positive impact at the local level,” she said.

While councilmembers supported adopting the county’s measure, which was also recently approved in San Carlos, Burlingame officials were persuaded to examine even more strict gun safety regulations.

Former Sunnyvale Mayor Tony Spitaleri, who led his community’s effort to ban high-volume ammunition magazines and require additional background checks when purchasing ammunition, encouraged Burlingame officials to consider similar rules.

Recognizing the scourge of gun violence across the nation this summer, including the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, Spitaleri said additional safety policies may be useful in protecting residents.

“None of these things will stop that, but that will curb it,” he said, regarding the relationship between the additional regulations and gun violence. Local members of gun safety advocacy agency Moms Demand Action favored Burlingame officials considering the recommendations from Spitaleri.

Councilman Ricardo Ortiz advocated for further examination of the additional policies, with hopes of sending a message to state and other elected officials that Burlingame takes a firm stance on gun safety.

“We need to send a message upwards,” he said.

Councilman Michael Brownrigg shared a similar perspective.

“This is action we can take and make some positive impact at the local level,” he said. “And we should provide leadership where we can.”

For her part, Colson lauded the commitment of local officials to make Burlingame a safer place, while examining more opportunities for additional improvements in the future.

“This is just a perfect example of when people need to take these initiatives into their own hands and bring this work from the ground up,” she said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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