IS IT TRUE that the consensus from last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council regarding the recent strike down of the separate but unequal smoking ordinance is that even the council members who were bold in their opinions 4 years ago are now frozen like deer in the headlights?…Councilmen Adams and McGinn who were once vocal proponents of a comprehensive smoking ban are timid in their assessments of whether to allow Evansville to revert to 2006 or move forward with the comprehensive ban they both openly supported for the right reason?…as a reminder that reason is public health and a healthy workplace for all workers?…to see equivocation on the part of the strongest supporters of a comprehensive smoking ban serves to show the people of this town just how addictive cash flow is to the governance process?
IS IT TRUE the casino passed with a very narrow margin and was sold as the economic ticket to prosperity?…while the “boat money” has been used to build or remodel some very nice things like the waterfront promenade, the pagoda, and even the Ford Center, it for the most part has been committed long term to pay the notes for fun and games nonsense?…”boat money” has filled a few gaps to purchase things like safety equipment that were needed but these things are supposed to be provided anyway?…the docile and leaderless City Council last night is reminiscent of the scene from “The Little Mermaid” when Ursula the Sea Witch reduces King Triton to a bookshelf collectible like a Hummel figurine?…the uncertainty and timid confusion seen last night was the look of local governance hitting rock bottom?…whether one supports a comprehensive smoking ban or not we need our elected leaders to take a stand for something instead of equivocating on the sidelines waiting for a leader to emerge?…this bull still has horns but it does not appear that any one is very enthusiastic about grabbing those horns to break the addiction that Evansville hopefully finally realizes is upon it?
IS IT TRUE that once upon a time Mayor Winnecke was one of the strongest proponents of a comprehensive smoking ban?…he even lead the effort as County Commissioner to adopt a comprehensive ban in the County?…Candidate Winnecke even committed to twist arms to get a smoking ban passed in the campaign of 2011?…we wonder where that strength and commitment have gone?…if the Council will not lead it is up to the Mayor to do so?…this decision is more important to the future of Evansville than a hotel, a dog park, or any other fun and games fiasco and it is time for the Mayor of Evansville to show his metal and take a stand one way or the other and state the reasons for it?
IS IT TRUE that one option being floated to avoid an up or down vote to ban smoking and risk the loss of a few precious “boat dollars” is to mandate a certain air handling system that will be very costly?…the technology industry has things called clean rooms that are designed and operated to assure that certain contaminates are kept below a defined and testable level?…to verify this THE AIR IS TESTED because mandating a certain air handling system GUARANTEES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?…if the City Council and the Mayor want to put for something that will work to assure air quality without banning smoking it is AIR QUALITY THEY MUST DEFINE AND AIR QUALITY THEY MUST TEST?…mandating an air handling system is just silliness and we hope our elected leaders have the technical sense to see through this smoke and mirrors proposal?
Is there any problem with letting business owners determine who they want as customers? That approach would appear to me to be in heeping with the US Constution. Y’know taking without just compensation!
Passing an ordinance that requires small bars/taverns to purchase unaffordable air handling equipment in order to permit smoking in their establishments will again be struck down by the IN Supreme–it’s still unequal. In other words, you are creating a ‘rich get richer’ situation.
That would be an easy case for the IN Supreme to strike down again. Hopefully, City not wasteful enough to expend even more Legal bucks on such a hail mary.
Which seems to be exactly what the chicken shit City Council and Mayor are thinking of doing. The CCO is right on this, just set an air standard and test for it. Treat the air pollution like the health inspectors treat bacteria. Why worry about how the air is cleaned as long as it is clean.
Pogo,Privy Barrister; (Smoking ordinance’s) Cans’O Worms x 24=case,
(classical)
But wait! What! Environmental toxin or organic, chemical,or elemental toxins would you like to specify as the most hazardous to the “stander’s, and sitters” in a given venue or office building. You know? Technologies of today can tell you what’s really there PDQ. 😉
Then, lets see whats banned,and what that blending says the said property is worth what?
Be fair! “Lets factor in the intake ambients” ,along with,the perceived and tested internal ambients exhaust elements, go for a sustainable healthy balance*incoming vs outgoing,as well.
Like @Pogo said, Just Compensation?
Like we are thinking..Can O’Worms,or a “case of canned cans,take your pick.
“Hoosier avi ratio barncat”
“Hoosier Grandfathers barncat theory”
Or!
http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies/Level2/2BarnCatView.pdf
Exactly! Just make it a comprehensive ban, and the playing field is level. That probably isn’t what you have in mind, but it’s fair.
Maybe if smoking is restricted to private property – homes and private clubs – some of the old “fraternal organizations” will make a comeback.
You could make an arguement for an air purification systems but they would have to be required for all public places in order to pass the muster. In terms of the state constitution, I don’t think it would fly if you just limited it to bars or restaurants, because if you state health as the primary issue, you circle back to the same arguement used by the court to overturn the smoking ban to start with.
The alleged problem is way overblown. To my knowledge only a few small taverns and private clubs have gone back to smoking.
Recently, A ruthless King, and a Willing Puppet have been at the “bottom” (literally) of witless motivations to exercise government’s role in setting the Goal lines for the
Community. The Council has abdicated their role in setting those goals in deference to the Office of Mayor for far too long. The Leadership Vacuum in Evansville begs for a Hero of the Common Good,– for the WHOLE COMMUNITY.
The voters got what they chose. Its time for the voting public to be more careful about their choices. Those who think their vote doesn’t matter are the ones who wind up mattering the most. Too many people stay home, and look what we get!
The real “Heroes for the Common Good” are the ones that inform themselves and show up on election day. We got what we have now because we let the “insiders” run things.
This is the first time that I’ve ever agreed with you. The people did get what they chose…when electing Obama. 😀
Me thinks there is some major buyers remorse going on in da nation !!
No, it isn’t time for our Mayor to show his “metal”. It would, however, be time for him to show his “mettle”, but he’d need some first. He had to postpone his “metal” showing (golden shovels) and hasn’t set another date for that. I’m not quite sure I’ve seen any sign of him having all that much courage and fortitude (mettle).
If the quote in the Courier is to be trusted, I think we have one City Councilman out of the nine who didn’t equivocate. Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley said that she still supports the comprehensive ban, but that she didn’t think the council, as a whole, had arrived at any consensus. They’re talking among themselves, again.
How dare SBR use her mettle to meddle with the Mayor’s metal !
That’s great! So far, she’s shown more mettle than any of our other office holders.
KaPow! CL, That one gets a Medal!
As for the Smoking ban: I’m a smoker, and the major problem I had with it was the fact that it regulated private clubs, and excluded one business in particular. The other, is that I believe any business owner, should be allowed to let his or her patrons conduct any legal activity he or she wishes within the confines of said business.
Would I shop in a grocery store that allowed smoking? No. Would I eat in a restaurant without a separated smoking area? No. Hell, I don’t like it when people smoke around me while I’m eating, so why would I do that to other people?
I don’t even smoke in my own home, so I can say without a doubt, that I don’t mind stepping outside for a cigarette.
As for Private clubs: The members pay to be a part of these clubs, if the members of said club decide they wish to allow their fellow members to smoke within the confines of said PRIVATE club, that is well and truly, their own business.
The city and people of Evansville, much like the rest of the USA needs to learn mind their own business, and not worry so much about what every one else is doing.
In short: If you don’t wish to be exposed to secondhand smoke, don’t patronize businesses that allow smoking within their buildings. It really is that simple.
Dan Adams, a retired heart surgeon, supported a comprehensive almost-all-inclusive smoking ban for the right reason – that it protected the visitors, customers and employees of retail establishments and public buildings. But Dr. Dan just could not bring himself to protecting the visitors, customers and employees of the floating casino? Oh so heartbreaking.
Dan McGinn, a retired lawyer who practiced in Indiana, supported a comprehensive almost-all-inclusive smoking ban that exempted the floating casino but didn’t realize that such an exemption rendered the ordinance out of compliance with the Indiana Constitution? Interesting.
Partial Solution: Have the riverfront surveyed by Morley and Associates using their original plan for the location of the floating casino. Monument the city limits along the riverfront, and require the boat to be moored outside the city limits and into the county’s jurisdiction where there are no exemptions to the smoking ban.
Yes that’s a partial solution because the casino pavilion remains inside the city limits. But that will give Tropicana an opportunity to demonstrate their civic commitment to health concerns, and give the city council something to ponder for the time being while citizens watch public broadcasts of their deliberations, hand wringing, and demonstrations of political acumen. Photo ops galore!
Next.
http://www.usa-surveyors.com/reviews
OR….. Let the county ordinance stand, the city is in the county, not vice-versa. no action required.
City government does not want this. They have been “grooming” those city folks for many generations for their duplicating tax money. City of Evansville only covers 17% of the total land mass of Vanderburgh county. Their city limits are within Vanderburgh county limits. If they were above county government, they would had annex parts of Warrick county years ago.
City government is just protecting their turf at the city residents expense. County smoking ordinance should cover all of the county. The city could have a more restrictive policy, but not less, than the counties.
The Council should drop the smoking ban nonsense and let the chips fall where they may. Most bars are staying non-smoking anyway.
Anyone not retiring should drop this hot potato. A vast majority of people I’ve spoken to take the libertarian stance on this issue – to let property owners decide and encourage consumers to vote with their feet.
Eventually it will amount to voting with their lungs. COPD will get you if you don’t watch out.
Just saw on the news that the Peephole switched back to non-smoking.
The State Supreme Court has decided this issue. Its time to move on to other important issues.
Marty, what is more important than determining whether a new smoking ban will be put in place ? It seems like NOT having that will cripple the Convention Hotel and impair the City’s ability to win the IU Medical School ?
Was PUBLIC HEALTH just another empty sound bite ?
As observed from afar. Considering the conditions or amounts of the total infrastructure improvement project applications so far. Or,actual work to create a more positive and healthy environmental balance* forward in your area,yeah, probably,just more hypocrisy. “sound bites.”
Climate Change actions,Clean air,and the Clean water act.Sick Buildings syndrome.
What about the “consistent” health problems “historically” that are conditions throughout evansville,Vanderburgh counties failed publically funded infrastructures,rather,than issues that really are more a matters of personal choices?
clibanus,et speculum
smoking,and mirrors
Actually the Supreme Court struck down a 2 year old unconstitutional resolution that our learned council passed with full knowledge the it was not constitutional. If you think this is water under the bridge and that this issue is not important then you must want Evansville to turn into North Shawneetown.
Is it true March 10th is the new ground breaking for the hotel, as per page 4 of C&P paper this morning?
CCO moles miss this?
It wasn’t announced until late yesterday afternoon. I did note that there is still no financing nailed down, but they’ve “the way is paved.” I think the way has been paved for a lot of the projects that are seriously behind schedule.
The Mayor really wants to show his metal, I guess.
they’ve said “the way is paved.”
The road to Hell was paved with good intentions, LKB?.
EKB,Nah,read the “barncat” comment. 😉
Pavement lets see? Ask’em how much coal ash was used in the concrete…….
Tesla announces battery factory location DOWNTOWN, wieneke’s rateing bolts to 135%.
It’s in today. You may be surprised to learn that the CCO is not on the distribution list for Mayoral press releases. We have asked multiple times but no banana. We guess that media disclosure is only equal in Evansville for participants in mayoral propaganda.
CCO Editor, the Mayors “Minister of Propaganda” must provide you with all press releases to your paper per state law. The reason why the Mayor’s “Minister of Propaganda” must send you’ll city press releases is that her salary is paid by the taxpayers.
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