How would you punish the city govt for unlawfully having on ordinance?
Would it be financial compensation? If so, that punishes the taxpayers.
Would it be arresting the entire city got?
Would it be arresting just the mayor?
I don't know how one would punish the city govt and not punish the taxpayers inadvertently.
I think they did a fine job personally. Once they were notified that they were in violation of State law, they amended their own ordinance fairly quickly instead of having to be taken to court and spending millions of dollars in court costs.
The first punishment can be somewhat benign, $1. You must sue in Federal court though. When you sue in Federal court, they can issue a decision which compels them to stop any subsequent behavior. If the city/mayor/council again passes an ordinance which violates the same "law" (e.g. civil rights, prior decision going against in a 2A case, etc.) then you simply bring it back up to the same Federal court and ask for them to compel the city/council/mayor.
At that point, it's a Federal issue between those individuals and the Federal Gov't. Usually involves jail time.
I totally forgot what the term was, so if anyone remembers/knows "when a state or local jurisdiction is brought before a Federal court in a case involving civil rights and the Federal court issues a _____ decision to subsequently compel compliance and adherence to the courts current decision in future actions of the losing party", it'd help.
And that's why a "correction" versus actual "lawsuit" isn't the best course of action. A lawsuit in a Federal court will not only address the current problem, but the future one.
If the "city" continues to put forth idiots who waste their money (e.g. losing lawsuits, constantly paying out settlements, etc.) then the city-folk who vote for them should pay. It's their representative after all. If the mayor and council continue to flaunt unalienable rights, then they should go to jail.
"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are unalienable rights written in the Declaration of Independence. We have recognized self-defense as an extension and the ability to defend that right, and this has been recognized in the bill of rights and by the SCOTUS. We do not allow people to lynch people any more, we should not allow people to deny us the means to defend our own lives.