Vanderburgh County Commissioners Pass Comprehensive Smoking Ban

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Lloyd Winnecke

Winnecke and Abell Reverse Two Years of Regressive Policy: Will the City Council Follow this Lead

By: Joe Wallace

In a much anticipated move the Vanderburgh County Commissioners passed a comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinance that will become effective this summer. Even though only a small number of businesses are effected this move sends a message to the City of Evansville and the surrounding area that this time the governance of unincorporated Vanderburgh County is choosing public health, lifestyle, and economic development over the fears of losing a small amount of business to businesses that cling to the outdated paradigm that having a smoking section is required to run a thriving restaurant or bar.

Marsha Abell
Speaker after speaker came to the lectern to plea with the three commissioners to pass this ordinance with accounts of friends and relatives who have suffered and died from the effects of both smoking and second hand smoke. At the end, each commissioner had their say and the ordinance passed by a margin of 2 – 1 with Commissioners Marsha Abell and President Lloyd Winnecke enthusiastically supporting the measure and Commissioner Stephen Melcher casting the lone dissenting vote.

Melcher citing full knowledge and acceptance of both the scientific evidence that that was presented and the economic development advantages that a smokefree workplace ordinance bring cited keeping the playing field level as his reason for voting no. This is the same reason given two years ago when then Commissioner Troy Tornatta and Melcher overrode Commissioner Winnecke’s vote making Vanderburgh County one of the first Census MSA’s in American to reverse such an ordinance.

Commissioners Winnecke and Abell both cited the attractiveness of the community to the much sought after educated young professionals and the universally accepted public health issues as reasons for their affirmative votes. Commissioner Winnecke stated furthermore that from a business perspective that taking actions that over the long run will make health insurance premiums drop, lost time work incidents decrease, and promote public health is the right thing to do to make Vanderburgh County a more attractive place for business to move and grow.

Will the City of Evansville Finally Follow?

In 2010 the Evansville City Council deadlocked on a less restrictive resolution sponsored by Councilmen Dr. H. Dan Adams and Dan McGinn. The resolution was also supported by Councilwomen Wendy Bredhold and Connie Robinson who made an impassioned statement that “she is her brother’s keeper” in casting the tying vote. A tie goes to the status quo so no action was taken.

5th Ward Councilman John Friend is now on record in support of a comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinance much like the one that Vanderburgh County passed tonight. Councilman Friend’s pivotal vote can tip the majority in 2011 if the resolution is re-introduced. His Republican opponent for the 5th Ward seat local entrepreneur Brent Grafton is on record as supporting a smokefree workplace ordinance but has not stated that he would only vote for it if there are no exceptions as Councilman Friend has emphatically stated.

The Aztar Question

Casinos in general have not been supportive of laws that protect their workers from second hand smoke citing anticipated lost revenue from competition. Indiana governments are sensitive to the perceptions of gambling houses because government derives substantial revenue from taxes paid from wagering. Most studies conclude that there is a short term drop followed by a quick return to previous levels but most of those studies are not in locations isolated from easily accessible competition.

Evansville’s Aztar would be somewhat isolated from other options for gamblers due to the geographic distance to other casinos that would offer smoking areas. The closest casinos that would allow smoking if Aztar embraced worker protection laws would be 3.5 hours west to St. Louis, 5 hours south to Tunica, MS, 8 hours north to Detroit, and 2 hours east to New Albany.

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6 COMMENTS

  1. AZTAR could be exempt because it is a boat sitting on water. You don’t throw away millions of $$ because of a smoking ban. The city council should follow the lead and PASS the same ban for all public places.

    • We are sure that there are many excuses that can be crafted to exempt Aztar. With the closest options to gamble at least 2 hours away it is unlikely that Aztar would feel the pinch of business contraction due to smoking restrictions. Think about it. Most customers go there with a certain budget for gambling. Lets assume on Friday afternoon someone wants to gamble and the budget is $100 and they are a smoker. Choice #1 is to drive 4 hours round trip spending $40 on gasoline so they can gamble and smoke at the same time. Choice #2 is to go to Aztar to gamble and go up to the roof a couple of times for a smoke. That is an easy choice to make. The isolation of Evansville will shield Aztar from competition that has smoking and gambling. Now if Henderson had a gambling house it would be a different story.

      • Opition #3 Stay in evansville and go to the firehouses and buy pull tabs to support a council canidates election. Save gas, smoke on the way, and gamble.

          • It’s a illegal gambling ticket. A large number of taverns and private clubs use them to raise money. State wants everyone to have gaming license, don’t think these are legal even with a license, but not sure.

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