blast from the past April 2009
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405240_guns17ww.html
Through April 14, law enforcement agencies sent the department 27,252 approved concealed-pistol applications. That's 1,945 higher than the full four-month period last year, and an increase of 3,706 from those four months in 2007.
"It's not paranoia, but it's certainly being portrayed that way," said Dave Workman, author of "Washington State Gun Rights and Responsibilities" and senior editor of Gun Week. "I call it being prepared.
"People are looking at the budget crisis facing police and sheriff's departments and they are concerned about being able to defend themselves. Certainly part of this can be can be linked to the concerns that gun owners have about what the Obama administration has in store at some point."
In the same month....
State Sen. Tim Sheldon, a Democrat, asserted that Mason County residents could withstand police budget cuts, saying there is "no bag limit" and that home invaders may get a "hot lead enema."