Somehow I missed the Bakersfield vote. Who was the one who voted against? Inquiring minds (OK, just mine ;) want to know!

Sue Benham voted against. She said she supports the Second Amendment, but had no truck with purely political resolutions, so voted no.

City councils and county boards of supervisors SHOULD vote on these issues.  Not only should they vote on these controversial issues, they need to do it more often!

For the most part, these lower political offices are (so-called) non-partisan positions.  However, I never saw a small-time politician that didn't want to be a big-time politician and knowing how they feel about citizens rights enables the citizenry to gage their worth before they get elevated into a more powerful position. Hence the phrase "All politics is local"

These votes on hot-button issues are NOT political grandstanding and any politician that ducks a vote by labeling these a purely political gesture needs to put on the hot seat. 

The only thing missing here is I believe the politicians need to put their money where their mouth is.  That is: have their city or county council draft the legal papers to join in the legal battle as a friend of the court. Otherwise it's all showmanship and no backbone.    (Not that any politicians have a backbone --  Actually I think politicians have to have their backbone surgically removed before they take office)