Otsego board calls for gun law’s repeal

Wednesday’s vote by the Otsego Board of Representatives was a symbolic one that puts the county on record as being in support of repealing the law. The state Association of Counties had recommended that counties consider a a different option — calling for the amendment of the law.

But critics of the Cuomo legislation said it amounts to such an infringement on the constitutional rights of gun owners that the entire measure should be erased from the books.

Nine representatives voted for repeal, and only four opposed the resolution. The four opposed to repeal are all Oneonta Democrats: Catherine Rothenberger, Linda Rowinski, Gary Koutnik and Katherine Stuligross. Rep. Pauline Koren, R-Milford, was absent from the meeting.

Among the Democrats who broke ranks with Cuomo, the de facto head of the state Democratic Party, on the issue was Rep. Beth Rosenthal, D-Roseboom.

Explaining her support for repeal, Rosenthal said: “It was the way the law was enacted, aside from the fact there were definitely flaws in it. I would like to see good legislation come out of Albany, and I could not support SAFE Act because of the way it was done, in the dark of night, no sunshine, and with no public input.”

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