Van Buren Council Says Gun Plant Will Stay
By Nathan Kerns, Staff Writer
6/19/2008
Despite many complaints from gun control proponents, Van Buren city council decided the Smith & Wesson gun manufacturing plant will remain in the city. “Our primary concern was protecting our employment and keeping jobs in the city,” says Van Buren mayor Nikhil Patel (NAT). The S&W plant supplies the city with significant funds through its property tax and employs hundreds of Van Buren residents. To reconcile its refusal to remove the factory, the city council proposed stricter gun laws, including initiating a new firearm registration process that requires gun owners to undergo a thorough background check, pay a $20 fee, and be 18 years of age. The plant is Van Buren city’s third largest employer.
