Governing Magazine: Senior-level state and local government officials strongly favor universal background checks as a solution to gun violence, according to a Governing Index survey. But support for other oft-discussed measures tracked closely, based on gun ownership among public officials.Further, 62% support an assault weapons ban, 63% support a ban on “large-capacity ammunition clips or magazines that allow some guns to shoot more than 10 bullets before reloading,” and 66% support local gun buyback programs “at least once a year.” The NRA’s “solution” to gun violence doesn’t do very well at all, as only 27% support a requirement that “every public school train and arm at least one staff member with a gun.”
Although previous polls have documented attitudes about gun policy proposals among the general public, the Governing Index offers some insights into how government practitioners at the state and local level view those same measures. The Governing Index surveyed a systematic random sample of 225 senior state, county and city officials — representing a mix of elected, appointed and civil service positions — who are members of the Governing Exchange research community. The survey was conducted between April 11 and May 10, with a margin of error of plus or minus 6.6 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Survey participants are not representative of all government employees — only senior-level officials working in state and local governments.
Imagine that: the people most responsible — and accountable — for public safety are unlikely to support the idea of having their towns and states littered with firearms. What a shock.
[photo via Wikimeda Commons]
