Guns-for-cash program attacked

Manalapan- The Libertarian Party candidates for county freeholder have criticized the all-Republican Monmouth County Board of Freeholders for spending $30,000 on a guns-for-cash program. Virginia Flynn of Marlboro and Robert P. Hull of Manasquan said it is a wasteful to pay people to turn in to police their unwanted firearms. "If someone does want to get rid of a firearm, and doesn't want to deal with a gun shop, it's fine to turn it in to the police," Hull said in a prepared statement. "But why must taxpayers pay for it?" The Libertarian Party has opposed the guns-for-cash program since its inception earlier this year and members have picketed some of the sites where guns were turned in. Flynn, who with Hull is challenging Freeholder Director Harry Larrison Jr. and Freeholder Thomas J. Powers in the November election, said no criminal will turn in a gun. "And any law-abiding citizen can sell his or her gun to a gun shop and receive fair market value, as opposed to the token sum the county is offering," she said. The county is paying $25 for rifles and shotguns, $50 for handguns and $100 for assault weapons. So far, the program has netted a total of 579 weapons from three collection sites. "No good comes from disarming peaceful citizens," Hull said. "It leaves them easy prey to criminals who will always be able to secure weapons no matter what laws or regulations we pass. "And so-called gun-control laws are really victim-disarmament laws, which assist criminals," he added. In response, Powers described the guns-for-cash program as very successful and said many residents are glad to get rid of guns they don't want. He said law-enforcement officers believe the program is a success. Of Course its not going to take every gun off the street," he said. "But at least it takes guns out of houses where people who break into homes can get them to commit a crime."