San Bernardino, Calif., city attorney tells residents to "load their guns" after police cuts

Jim Penman, city attorney for San Bernardino, Calif., talks with CBS Los Angeles Nov. 29, 2012. / CBS Los Angeles

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. The city attorney of San Bernardino is under scrutiny for telling residents to "lock their doors and load their guns" during a city council meeting, CBS Los Angeles reports.

The official explained that because the city just outside of Los Angeles is bankrupt and slashing public safety budgets, people will need to start protecting themselves.

City Attorney Jim Penman said he doesn't regret what he said.

"You should say what you mean and mean what you say," Penman said.

(Scroll down to watch Penman's interview with CBS Los Angeles)

The city attorney said approximately 150 residents came to a council meeting to voice their concerns about recent crimes in the area, including the murder of an elderly woman last week.

"You could tell the swell of frustration was coming over a lot of folks. They did not feel like they could get an officer out as quickly to some of the quality-of-life issues that they were dealing with as they would have preferred," said Councilwoman Wendy McCommack, who organized the meeting and was present that night.

"Well, if I remember right, I told them to 'lock their doors and load their guns,'" Penman said.

Penman said the city is dealing with bankruptcy, which has forced officials to cut its police force by about 80 officers. Consequently, there's been growing criticism about the police department's response time.

"Let's be honest, we don't have enough police officers. We have too many criminals living in this city. We have had 45 murders this year ... that's far too high for a city of this size," Penman said.

The city attorney said it's important for people to be smart about protecting themselves and their family.

"I'm not advocating that people go out, who don't have any training, and buy firearms. I certainly strongly caution anyone who has children at home not to have a loaded gun in the house," Penman said.

"We need to take our streets back, we need to take our neighborhoods back and we need to protect our homes, and that's what I think Jim was trying to say," McCommack said.

The city of San Bernardino has seen a 50 percent increase in murders this year compared to 2011.

[drsodaro]

Civiization comes to an end, Detroit style, in doomed and dying California.

[richrider]

CA has now instituted the highest "cap and trade" tax in the nation - indeed, the ONLY such U.S. tax. One study estimates the annual cost at $3,857 per household by 2020. Even proponents concede that it will have zero impact on global warming. http://*******.com/WSJ-CA-cap-and-trade

New Tax Foundation study ranks CA as the 4th worst taxed state. But if counting ONLY in-state and local taxes, we are arguably the 2nd highest. http://riderrants.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-study-verifies-ca-residents.html

CA has the 3rd highest state unemployment rate. (October, 2012) - 10.1%. National unemployment rate 7.9%. National unemployment rate not including CA is only 7.6%, making the CA unemployment rate 32.9% higher than the average of the other 49 states. http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm
Using the more accurate U-6 measure of unemployment (includes involuntary part-time workers), CA is the 2nd worst at 19.6% vs. national 15.0%. National U-6 not including CA is 14.4%, making CA's U-6 36.4% higher than the other 49 states.
http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm

CA needlessly licenses more occupations than any state - 177. Second worst state is Connecticut at 155. The average for the states is 92. http://cssrc.us/publications.aspx?id=7707

California's 2013 "business tax climate" still ranks 3rd worst in the nation - behind New Jersey and New York state.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/2013-state-business-tax-climate-index

CA public school teachers the highest paid in the nation. CA students rank 48th in math achievement, 49th in reading.
http://www.lao.ca.gov/reports/2011/calfacts/calfacts_010511.aspx page 36

1 in 5 in Los Angeles County receiving public aid. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-welfare22-2009feb22,0,4377048.story

California has 12% of the nation's population, but 33% of the country's TANF ("Temporary" Assistance for Needy Families) welfare recipients - more than the next 7 states combined. Unlike other states, this "temporary" assistance becomes much more permanent in CA. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/28/welfare-capital-of-the-us/?print&page=all

California prison guards highest paid in the nation. http://www.caltax.org/caltaxletter/2008/101708_fraud1.htm

California is the worst ranked state for tax administration - another anti-business factor.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/2010/03/cal-rated-worst.html

California now has the 2nd lowest bond rating of any state - Basket case Illinois just beat us out for the lowest spot. We didn't improve our rating - Illinois just got worse.
http://www.calwhine.com/great-news-california-no-longer-has-worst-credit-rating/1554/

NEW: CA is ranked as the "worst-run state" in new Wall St. analysis. CA "won" last year too.
http://*******.com/CA-worst-run-state

[richrider]

Prior to Prop 30 passing, CA already had the 2nd worst state income tax rate in the nation. Our 9.3% tax bracket started at $48,029 for people filing as individuals. 10.3% starting at $1 million.

Now our retroactive (to 1/1/2012) "millionaires' tax" rate is 13.3% - including capital gains. Increased taxes now start at $250K. CA now has by far the nation's highest state income tax rate. We are 21% higher than the 2nd highest state (Hawaii), 34% higher than the 3rd highest state (Oregon), and a heck of a lot higher than all the rest - including 7 states with zero state income tax.

CA is so bad, we also have the 2nd highest state income tax bracket. AND the 3rd. Plus the 5th and 7th. http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/ff2012.pdf Tables #11 & 13 and
http://www.twitpic.com/9g2pka/full

CA has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation. 7.25% (does not include local sales taxes). 7.50% starting next year.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-and-local-sales-tax-rates-january-1-2012

CA corporate income tax rate (8.84%) is the highest west of the Mississippi (our economic competitors) except for Alaska.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/2013-state-business-tax-climate-index Table #1 - we are 6th highest nationwide.

CA has the 2nd highest gas tax in the nation at 68.9 cents/gallon (October, 2012). National average is 49.3 cents.
http://www.api.org/statistics/fueltaxes/ (also CA has the nation's 2nd highest diesel tax - 77.1 cents/gallon. National average 54.5 cents)

California in 2009 ranked 15th highest in per capita property taxes (including commercial) - the only major tax where we are not in the worst ten states. But CA property taxes per owner-occupied home were the 10th highest in the nation in 2009.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/251.html and http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/1913.html
(2009 latest year available)

[richrider]

Prior to Prop 30 passing, CA already had the 2nd worst state income tax rate in the nation. Our 9.3% tax bracket started at $48,029 for people filing as individuals. 10.3% starting at $1 million.

Now our retroactive (to 1/1/2012) "millionaires' tax" rate is 13.3% - including capital gains. Increased taxes now start at $250K. CA now has by far the nation's highest state income tax rate. We are 21% higher than the 2nd highest state (Hawaii), 34% higher than the 3rd highest state (Oregon), and a heck of a lot higher than all the rest - including 7 states with zero state income tax.

CA is so bad, we also have the 2nd highest state income tax bracket. AND the 3rd. Plus the 5th and 7th. http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/ff2012.pdf Tables #11 & 13 and
http://www.twitpic.com/9g2pka/full

CA has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation. 7.25% (does not include local sales taxes). 7.50% starting next year.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-and-local-sales-tax-rates-january-1-2012

CA corporate income tax rate (8.84%) is the highest west of the Mississippi (our economic competitors) except for Alaska.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/2013-state-business-tax-climate-index Table #1 - we are 6th highest nationwide.

CA has the 2nd highest gas tax in the nation at 68.9 cents/gallon (October, 2012). National average is 49.3 cents.
http://www.api.org/statistics/fueltaxes/ (also CA has the nation's 2nd highest diesel tax - 77.1 cents/gallon. National average 54.5 cents)

California in 2009 ranked 15th highest in per capita property taxes (including commercial) - the only major tax where we are not in the worst ten states. But CA property taxes per owner-occupied home were the 10th highest in the nation in 2009.
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/251.html and http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/1913.html
(2009 latest year available)

[US-Patriot]

As goes California, so goes the nation. Just a glimpse of what will eventually happen nationwide. I am not rich, nor do I give a hoot about the taxes rich people pay, but I do not believe there are enough of them to pay for the entitlement society being created in this country.

[fiddlestickawshucks]

With the increase in the amount of crime and the decrease in police forces; you just might be surprised how many people have come up with this same solution on their own.

Many people; especially women; are reluctant to leave their homes for fear of being robbed, kidnapped, raped or murdered; especially after dark.

Parents are afraid to let their children play outside for fear they will be snatched or shot in a drive-by shooting.

If Obama has his way, none of us will be able to defend ourselves.

He has proposed that everyone who owns a gun(s) be compelled to register all guns with the government.

This way, when he decrees martial law (he has given himself the right to do this through Executive Order); Federal officials will know just where to go to collect these weapons and render all Americans defenseless against the Government.

He has proposed charging outrageous amounts to buy just one bullet.

George Soros and others are quietly buying out all the gun manufacturers to eventually be able to gain complete control over those who purchase any type of gun.

About once a month I get an email from someone; who received it from a police officer; giving information or how to protect yourself when you leave your home.

I was stunned to see that the last one included crashing your car in the event you are car-jacked or kidnapped.

Sadly; it has come to this.

Ask the average person who lives or works anywhere near a city and their response is "You're not safe anywhere".!

[bobnjersey]

[If Obama has his way, none of us will be able to defend ourselves.]
--------------------------------
what can't you buy today that you couldn't buy four years ago?

[Kenny_Vee]

If Obama was planning to take away guns, there have already been plenty of mass shootings that he could have used as an excuse to act on it. But after the Gabby Giffords shooting, nothing. After a guy shot a bunch of kids in a movie theater in Colorado, nothing. After some other gun-toting lunatic shoots up a Sikh gurdwara, still no action on curtailing guns. A disgruntled worker opens fire outside the Empire State Building, and again nothing is done to curb gun ownership.

If Obama wanted to move on gun control, he's had plenty of opportunities. And he hasn't taken a single one of them. Which is a damn shame, really.

As much as I wish your fantasies about gun control were real, you're just letting your paranoia get the better of you despite the fact that all evidence shows that you're living in a world of delusion. The fact that people like you who are obviously quite far removed from reality are clinging to your guns is what scares me the most. How long before the next one of you gun nuts snaps and shoots up a bunch of people over something that only happened inside their own head?

[GhostF1ghter]

One way to handle this might be to deputize qualified citizens who volunteer. Give them some basic training and put them with real officers.

There are many people who are perhaps retired, but still in great shape, who have police or military police backgrounds, willing to donate their time.

[Mathion]

Since the discussion was about "quality of life" issues - like loud music, disorderly conduct, barking dogs, things like that - and this guy says to load your guns and lock your doors, I guess he means be sure to lock your door when you go out with your loaded gun to shoot the people and animals offending your sensibilities.

[jsf14]

So how does he recommend that people with small children in the house protect themselves? How should blind people protect themselves? Why have civilization at all if each of us has to protect ourselves and manage by ourselves/

[Scimajor]

"The city attorney of San Bernardino is under scrutiny for telling residents to "lock their doors and load their guns" during a city council meeting"

Oops, your N.R.A./GOP membership is showing.