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I remember when Oregon first had CHLs, in the early 90's, it was a county license not a state-wide license, valid only in the county of issue. Mine was valid in Benton County only at the time. The only reason I got it then was because it exempted you from the handgun purchase waiting period that was in place at the time. A lot has changed over the years.
Linn County has issued permits for decades. Sheriff Ken Goin issued my first one through the undersheriff. You used to need a reason to have the permit in order to get approved and my reason at 21 years of age was I was in construction and had to carry cash to travel. Nobody took a personal check in those days and young guys didn't have enough credit to travel for months.
It cost me about $450 for the first issuing of my CA CCW permit. That was for a $200 class and $250 in fees and expenses.
So $450 to ask/beg for permission on something that is supposed to be my god given right. And that PRIVILEGE lasts for a grand total of two years before you have to BEG for renewal.
Then it's another $200 worth of fees and another class and praying to John Moses Browning that the good sheriff will see fit to renew me.
And in another two years the cycle...and cash grab...repeats.
Now I personally believe that there shouldn't be any fees or costs associated with exercising a civil right. It's bad enough the tyrants make us obtain a license and one that isn't valid in every other state. But a $450 bend-me-over and a $200 renewal bend-me-over is just adding insult to injury.
I guess be grateful no matter where you are because it could always be worse. You could live in New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco where they simply don't issue.
In my first application when I was 21 years old they wanted three references ( non family) by people over 21 that have known you to be of good character for the last five years. You did pay extra for an FBI bc and finger prints but that was $8.
No test to see if you could shoot but they did a psychological treatment of sorts by taking you in the jail and having the jailer take your prints. They wanted you to know where you will be should you screw up.
When I moved to Linn Co a couple years ago and tried to schedule an appt to transfer my ccw, I couldn't. They didn't schedule those, just walk right in, get photo, pay a few $$$ and done!! I'm disappointed that Jim Yon is retiring at the end of the year though, not sure you'll find a better sheriff, anywhere.
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