Email
Santa Fe officials say they need more money to hold a scheduled third gun buyback next month.
The city has already distributed about $47,000 in cash – and several thousand more dollars in IOUs – during two buybacks.
City manager Robert Romero said Wednesday that he plans to ask the city council to approve another $25,000 or $30,000.
Romero is making the request because he can’t administratively allocate more than $50,000 for city projects and contracts.
The Santa Fe Police Department accepted 194 guns at the city’s first buyback on Jan. 12, and collected another 224 weapons at the second buyback on Saturday.
The city is paying $150 for operational handguns, $100 for long guns, and $200 for high-capacity or assault weapons.
Romero said he’ll probably pull the money from the police department’s property tax fund. If the extra funding is approved, the city will hold its third buyback March 9.
City officials decided to hold three gun buybacks after the recent school shooting in Newtown, Conn., which resulted in the deaths of 20 children and six adults.
Reprint story -- Email the reporter at khay@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-992-6290
