December 3, 2008
By Tom Beres

CLEVELAND -- Mayors in Greater Cleveland are looking to a group organized by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to help deal with illegal guns.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a 2 1/2-year-old group working on local, state and Federal laws to keep illegal guns out of the hands of minors and felons.

It recently won a change in Federal laws that permits Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigators to share more information about guns with local authorities.

"It's slow, but we are making progress," said Menino.

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Ohio is one of 34 states with little regulation on guns purchased at gun shows. Anyone can buy a gun without a waiting period.

President-elect Barack Obama favors measures regulating guns purchased at gun shows.

Local officials hope new leadership in Ohio's legislature will mean new laws tightening control on illegal guns.

Cleveland police have seized about 1,500 guns off the street in the first 10 months of 2008.

Mayor Bloomberg pushed for a law in New York City requiring mandatory jail time for anyone with an unregistered gun in public.

That is being used in the case of New York Giants football star Plaxico Burress, who shot himself in a night club.

One audience member suggested Ohio explore a similar law.