New York Daily News

A WARNING SHOT FIRED BY GUN BIZ

- Kenneth Lovett klovett@nydailynew­s.com

ALBANY— One of the world’s major gun manufactur­ers is threatenin­g to pull its plant out of New York over a gun bill pushed by Mayor Bloomberg.

Remington Arms Company, in a recent letter to Gov. Cuomo, said it may be forced to bail on the Empire State if a law requiring bullet casings to carry unique markings is enacted.

Supporters argue the technolo- gy, known as microstamp­ing, would help solve gun crimes. Detractors say it’s unreliable, easily tampered with and costly.

Remington has a manufactur­ing plant that employs more than 1,000 workers in the village of Ilion, about 90 miles west of Albany.

“Mandating firearms microstamp­ing will restrict the ability of Remington to expand business in the Empire State,” company chief strategy officer Stephen Jackson Jr. wrote to Cuomo.

“Worse yet, Remington could be forced to reconsider its commitment to the New York market altogether rather than spend the astronomic­al sums of money needed to completely reconfigur­e our manufactur­ing and assembly processes.”

Jackson insisted that law enforcemen­t, gun retailers and “law-abiding consumers throughout New York — if not the entire country” would be directly affected.

Senate bill sponsor Jose Peralta dismissed Remington’s warning as “just another tactic being used to try and block microstamp­ing, which is supported by many crime-fighters.”

He said gun manufactur­ers didn’t leave California and Massachuse­tts when those states enacted ballistic identifica­tion rules. Cuomo during his 2010 campaign called microstamp­ing a “common-sense” and “pro-law enforcemen­t” gun safety law.

The governor’s position has not changed, even with Remington’s threat to leave, Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said.

Microstamp­ing is not expected to clear the Gop-controlled Senate, where Democratic efforts to bring it to the floor have been blocked.

The bill’s best chance might have been in 2010 when the Democrats controlled the Senate. But the Dems couldn’t muster the required 32 votes to pass it.

In his battle to keep Gov. Cuomo from stripping part t of his contract oversigh tight powers, state Controller t ll Thomas Dinapoli is citing his rejection of a state contract with a company he fears has mob ties.

Dinapoli’s office says that last August it rejected a $14.5 million proposed oil contract between the state Office of General Services and Chief Energy Corp. — a Brooklyn company owned by Vincent Rizzuto.

Rizzuto’s son, Vincent Jr., has reputed ties to the Gambino crime family and is serving prison time on racketeeri­ng charges. The company in the past denied ties to organized crime.

“This is exactly the type of contract that under the governor’s plan we would not see in advance,” Dinapoli rep Jennifer Freeman said.

Calling the process inefficien­t, Cuomo wants to strip Dinapoli of some of his powers to preapprove every state contract. A Cuomo insider calls it a small change and accuses Dinapoli of e engaging in an ““Albany turf b battle.”

With C Cuomo said to be pushing hard for the change, insiders ex expect it will be part of the fin final budget expected this week. w

Did someone for forget to tell state Agricultur­e Co Commission­er Darrel Aubertine who w his new boss is?

The Cuomo comm commission­er praised the support of “Gov. Paterson” in a recent letter touting a new report.

Red-faced Aubertine spokeswoma­n Jessica Ziehm chalked it up to a staff mistake that will not happen again.

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