All of our Triangle mayors belong to a group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns, as do the mayors of Greensboro and Asheville:

Though “illegal” is in the title of this group, many mayors who originally signed on at the behest of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg have since quit the group, saying that its aims are not only to get rid of illegal guns but guns in general. Here’s Williamsport, Pa., Mayor Mary B. Wolf in March:

I have learned that the Coalition may be working on issues that conflict with legal gun ownership and that some action on your behalf are dubious. I have also learned that other mayors from cities large and small across the country have withdrawn their names as supporters of the Coalition. This letter informs you that I too, am withdrawing from the Mayors Coalition Against Illegal Guns.

And she’s not the only one. Those concerns haven’t bothered Bell, Foy and Meeker, et al, however.

UPDATE: Commenter Abby Alger points out something I missed:

Bill Bell is on the “Featured Mayors” page. His quote: “Gun violence is a non-partisan issue. All citizens need to know what a *terrible impact* that *guns in general*, and illegal guns specifically, have and how they are contributing to the violence in our communities.”

Emphasis mine; I’ll let it speak for itself.

Here’s the link to the “Featured Mayors.” Bell is at the bottom of the page.