Phil Steel, the author behind the town's
anti-drone ordinance, said he was delighted that
the judge ruled in favor of allowing the vote.
A Colorado town considering issuing
hunting permits for drone aircraft has been
given the go-ahead for a special election on
the matter.
A District Court judge on Tuesday
rejected a legal challenge that claimed the
petition drive was approved by a biased town
clerk.
"I feel pretty dang good about the
judge's decision," Kim Oldfield, the town
clerk, told FoxNews.com. "I feel like I've
been vindicated and now the people will be
able to hold the vote."
Oldfield said the vote will take place on
April 1. The town's population is 500 and
about 370 of those can vote. Oldfield did
not say where she stands in the debate, but
said she's for "defending the Constitution."
Supporters of Deer Trail's proposal say
it would
make the town a national attraction for
gun enthusiasts and people skeptical of
government surveillance. The proposal has,
however, drawn a stern warning from the
Federal Aviation Administration, which says
shooting at unmanned aircraft is a crime.
Phil Steel, the author behind the town's
ordinance, said he was delighted that the
judge ruled in favor of allowing the vote.
"At one point, I was deeply concerned
that Deer Trail was not able to handle the
concept of Democracy," he said. "This is an
opportunity for the people to take to the
polls and defend what's their's."
Steel said it is hard to determine how
the vote will go. He said of the 370 voters,
there are about 40 or so that will vote
against the ordinance, in some cases, due to
old political grievances.
Steel got the idea after
seeing news reports about the National
Security Agency's domestic spying efforts.
"Do we really want to become a surveillance
society? That's what I find really
repugnant," Steel said.
Harry Venter, editor of the weekly
Tri-County Tribune, worries the proposal
sends the message that Deer Trail
disapproves of the military, not domestic
surveillance. "It's embarrassing to most of
us, to be honest with you," Venter said.
Under the guidelines of the ordinance,
any registered drone hunter would be given
$100 if he presents "identifiable parts of
an unmanned aerial vehicle whose markings
and configuration are consistent with those
used on any similar craft known to be owned
or operated by the United States federal
government."
According to Steel, the licenses would
cost $25 a year.
Fox News' Edmund DeMarche and The
Associated Press contributed to this report
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