While you are waiting in line...some ideas to ponder

Something to consider while you wait in line at your sheriffs' office for your concealed handgun license.

Starting tomorrow, April 8, 2004, you may apply for an Ohio Concealed Handgun License. This has been a long battle.

Earlier today, OFCC issued an alert reminding everyone to be patient, professional and understanding of the reasonable problems that sheriffs' have while doing their best to do their new job.

It is important to remember that your county sheriff is an elected official.
Every sheriff will be up for re-election this November. (There is at least
one sheriff who will not be on the ballot because he lost his primary in
March.)

Money and politics go hand in hand. When you apply for a concealed handgun
license, you will be handing your sheriff $45 (and in some cases, an
additional $24 for an FBI background check).

OFCC lobbied hard to keep the application cost low. Many states charge $100 for their license. Each sheriff has spent upwards of $10,000 to be ready for Thursday. Some estimates indicate the sheriffs will lose money on every application. Time will tell if these estimates are accurate, but
be assured that the sheriff is not getting rich from license fees.

So what?

If your sheriff does a great job of processing applications, consider making a donation to the sheriff's department or to his/her re-election campaign. Please thank your sheriff for doing a great job. It is to your advantage to use this opportunity to build a relationship with your sheriff.

What is your sheriff does not do a good job?

If you obtain your license from an adjoining county, because they do a much
better job than your sheriff, then you really need to thank them. Sending a
check (even a very small one) to a neighboring sheriff, with a letter
thanking him for doing a great job, with a copy sent to your sheriff who
refused to do his job, (or just does it poorly) will send a strong message
to every sheriff.

If you reward a sheriff who does a good job, and remind a sheriff who does
a poor job, Ohio will have more sheriffs' doing their best.

We would like to remind applicants that the Buckeye State Sheriff's
Association (by a strong majority vote of the 88 sheriffs) fought
diligently for Ohio's new concealed carry law, alongside OFCC.

Thank our friends. Reward our friends. Most sheriffs were there for us
when we needed them. Make sure you return that favor. We want their help
in improving our new law.

Jim Irvine
Chairman, OFCC PAC