68% Citizen Support for Action in Recent Poll, When will Evansville Follow?
MUNCIE — After hearing more than an hour of sometimes-heated comments about a proposed smoking ban, the Delaware County commissioners apparently had few of their own. With little discussion, the officials unanimously approved the ban during a special Monday evening meeting.
The comments during the public hearing were heartfelt and brought murmurs — and sometimes more — from partisans in the crowd. At one point Donati banged his gavel and called for order.
Few comments could top that of the first speaker, Robert Scott Wolfe, who said he was told his terminal cancer was caused by second-hand smoke.
The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after the date of passage.
Pre-vote surveys indicated that 68% of the 605 people surveyed supported the comprehensive smoking ban and that 85% support protecting ALL workers from second hand smoke. It was also noted that 69% of current smokers were in agreement.
On the Home Front
Of course the question locally is just when will the Evansville City Council finally get on board and support public health by passing a comprehensive smoking ban. Private interviews with the sitting City Council indicate a 5-4 affirmative vote for adopting a comprehensive smoking ban. Similar interviews indicate that a smoking ban that exempts Casino Aztar will fail by that same 5-4 margin. Last year a stronger smoking ordinance ended in a 4-4 tie with Curt John who opposed the ordinance being absent.
The results of this years Democratic primary and the decision not to run by Councilman John has paved the way for 2012 to be the year that a comprehensive smoking ban will pass in Evansville. Three of the five no votes will not be returning to the 2012 City Council and the other two no votes are now in strongly contested races. All indications are that a comprehensive smoking ban will pass next year by at least a 6-3 margin but could be adopted unanimously in a 9-0 vote if the contested elections all go the way of the 73% of the people of Evansville who support a comprehensive smoking ban.
Ball State University Report
http://www.bsudailynews.com/delaware-county-commissioners-unanimously-approve-smoking-ban-1.2598530
We wouldn’t tolerate vermin, cockroaches or other unhealthy practices in food preparation establishments yet we’ll tolerate cigarette smoking?
Running to smokey bar owners and asking their opinion of the ordinance seems to be a popular sport these days? WTH do you think they’re going to say? Ironically, it seems to be the thing to do among local Democrats, the party supposedly for the workers, patrons, the little guy, etc. Since when did the Democratic party start working for the WANTS of bar owners over the NEEDS of the workers?
One of the oldest tricks in politics is to be for something that you know will never pass and the comprehensive ban is one of those things. Neither, the new mayor or the City Council is going to do anything to endanger the Casino revenue.
My suspicion is that a lot of new CC members will suddenly get cold feet, again, if this ever comes to a vote.
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