Gun laws top discussions
at 7th PDAC meeting

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Phil Goldsmith is used to jobs where it’s a constant struggle to get things done.
So it seems only fitting that the leadership of a Center City-based handgun-control organization has tapped him to lead its efforts to forge new gun laws in Pennsylvania.
Goldsmith told members of the 7th Police District Advisory Council last week that CeaseFirePA is working against strong forces in Harrisburg as it seeks two basic but important changes in statewide gun statutes.
The non-profit group wants the legislature to limit individual citizens to the purchase of one gun a month. And it wants lawmakers to mandate that gun owners report any lost or stolen guns to local authorities immediately.
So far, however, the notoriously pro-gun majority in the state capital has effectively blocked those proposals from gathering any legislative momentum.
"Six (other) states have passed lost- and stolen-gun laws. In Harrisburg, we can’t get it out of committee," Goldsmith said during the monthly PDAC meeting on Feb. 21.
The attorney and former journalist knows a lot about fighting daunting causes. After starting his professional career as a newspaper reporter, then earning a law degree, he became a deputy mayor in Philadelphia. He later worked in the private sector for PNC Bank before hitting some serious rough sledding.
In what he described as a "moment of weakness," he accepted the job of interim CEO of the failing and violence-ridden School District of Philadelphia at a time when the city and state were wrestling over its control. Eventually, the state won out and created the School Reform Commission.
Goldsmith next accepted the job of interim executive director of the Fairmount Park Commission, a notoriously underfunded agency in charge of maintaining the city’s massive public parks system.
He says he experienced another weak moment when he agreed to serve as former Mayor John Street’s managing director for a spell — at a time when scandal plagued the Street administration, including the wiretapping of his City Hall office by the FBI.
At least with CeaseFirePA, Goldsmith can say with assurance that the cause is just — reducing the number of illegal handguns on the streets of Philadelphia and other locales leading to high levels of violent crime. His job with the organization is unpaid.
"Our objective is to try to get some reasonable handgun legislation in the state of Pennsylvania — nothing radical," he said.
Goldsmith concedes that the organization’s two legislative proposals alone won’t solve the problem of violence. But he thinks they’ll make a difference when combined with a continuum of social initiatives.
"I’m not one of those people who say it’s all about handguns. It’s about poverty, I’m fully aware of that," he said. "I also think it’s a cultural breakdown in our homes. It’s joblessness, hopelessness, education not working and parents who abandon their homes."
He also thinks that images of violence on television and in the movies contribute to the real-life culture of violence.
"It’s corporations that pay for shows where people get shot like nothing," Goldsmith said.
Specifically, the proposed one-gun-a-month law would hurt so-called "straw" purchasers, who buy guns legally but then sell them illegally on the black market. Meanwhile, Goldsmith claims, the mandatory-reporting law would help authorities better track the transfer of guns.
Under current law, authorities have difficulty holding original purchasers accountable for guns that end up in the hands of criminals.
Goldsmith claims that polls have shown that 96 percent of Pennsylvanians favor mandatory reporting and a "good majority" favor one gun a month.
"So far, the legislature hasn’t passed it," he said.
Goldsmith said he doesn’t blame the National Rifle Association and individual gun advocates for defending their right to own guns and for lobbying the legislature accordingly.
"My enemy is the people who agree with me and don’t do anything about it," he said. "It’s as easy as writing a letter to your legislator."
Visit www.CeaseFirePA.org for information about the organization.
In other 7th PDAC business:
• PDAC chairman Mike Myers announced that the council’s annual community day is planned for Saturday, June 7, at Maternity BVM Church. About 10 local organizations have signed up for booths. About 75 are expected to participate. For information, visit www.7thPDAC.com or call 215-728-7300.
• The PDAC is accepting nominations for its new Heroes in the Community award. The council wants to recognize individual members of the community who perform heroic acts to help a fellow resident or residents. Submit nominations to info@7thPDAC.com or call 215-728-7300.
• A benefit to support the families of slain armored-car guards and former Philadelphia police officers Joseph Alullo and William Widmaier will be held on Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Whiskey Tango, 14000 Bustleton Ave.
The $25 admission includes buffet and open bar, a band and a DJ. There will be a 50/50 and prize drawings.
The retired officers and Loomis employees were shot and killed by a robber on Oct. 4 while servicing an ATM near the Roosevelt Mall. The alleged gunman, Mustafa Ali, 36, remains in custody without bail, charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, robbery and related crimes. A trial date has not been set.
For tickets to the benefit, call Officer Quinn or Officer Broadbent at 215-686-3070, or Whiskey Tango at 215-671-9234.
• Yvette Davis, collection supervisor for the Johnson-UGO Foundation Library, invited residents to visit her facility at Johnson United Methodist Church, 3117 Longshore Ave., for information about setting up and securing funding for non-profit organizations.
The center offers a variety of foundation-specific resources. For information, call 215-338-5020. ••