IS IT TRUE that just a couple of weeks ago the Evansville City Council voted 9 – 0 to support the requirement that pseudoephedrine should be made prescription based?…that this unanimous vote happened quickly and with little opposition within the members of the City Council?…that the 9 – 0 vote also expressed a belief that the cities and counties of Indiana should have self determination on this?…that the truth of the matter is that legally this is an issue that local governance has absolutely no authority over making the 9 – 0 vote a symbolic gesture with no accountability or action associated with it?

IS IT TRUE that in 2010 this exact same City Council deadlocked 4 – 4 on strengthening the smoking ordinance of the City of Evansville?…that a tie vote means the same as a loss?…that City Councilman Curt John who was absent that night later made it known that he would have cast a “nay” vote had he been there?…that the sentiment of the Evansville City Council was clearly 5 – 4 against strengthening the smoking ordinance?…that the State of Indiana does indeed grant local authority to make decisions with respect to smoking laws?…that one of the excuses put forward by some of the “Nay” voting members was that “smoking restrictions should be up to the state”?…that the ones who made such statements but are now howling for the authority to regulate pseudoephedrine are quite inconsistent?

IS IT TRUE that to petition the state for the authority to regulate the “legal” substance that happens to be the active ingredient in meth while refusing to vote “Aye” to strengthen a smoking ordinance just smacks of confliction and having a comfort zone without authority?…that squawking for authority when one does not have it, yet saying the a higher legislative body should take the initiative to take an action that has already been delegated to local government is hypocrisy?

IS IT TRUE that any of these 5 City Council members who voted “nay” on the smoking ordinance citing that it is the states job and then voted “aye” on the pseudo resolution are trying to have their cake and eat it too?…that one thing that we wish for in the next City Council is consistency and that another is honesty?…that hiding behind the state on one issue and pushing something that is clearly a local issue off on the state is neither?

IS IT TRUE that we would like to thank City Council members Dan McGinn, H. Dan Adams, Connie Robinson, and Wendy Bredhold for the consistency and courage that they have shown by voting “aye” on both of these public health and safety issues?

IS IT TRUE that some of the “nay” votes on the smoking ordinance were cast because of the asserted “unfairness” of exemptions?…that taking a position of “all or nothing” when it comes to making laws is not a defensible position?…that if “all or nothing” positions were taken with respect to businesses then either “everyone or nobody” would have a liquor license, tobacco growing stamps, permission to run a strip bar, sell liquor by the drink, sell medicines, etc.?…that I think the point is made that a functional democracy does not function without compromise and taking “all or nothing” positions undermines that functionality?

IS IT TRUE that the last thing we need on the Evansville City Council is a majority that thinks and acts like they can have it both ways?…that situational leadership is not leadership at all?…that if local government wishes to have no authority period and only petition the state who has all authority things will be much different?…that we believe that the lowest level entity that has the means to enforce a resolution should have the authority to pass the resolution?…that in the case of public smoking and selling pseudoephedrine that the proper place for this authority to reside is with the City Council?…that we need 9 elected officials on the Evansville City Council who will not run and never want to hide when it comes to passing good public policy?

IS IT TRUE? September 15, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that the Smokefree Communities of Vanderburgh County held a meeting this afternoon in the Central Library?…that the purpose of this meeting was to give candidates for office the opportunity to express their opinions with respect to the passage of stricter smokefree workplace laws in the City of Evansville when the new city government is seated in 2012?…that Democratic Candidate for Mayor Rick Davis and five (5) candidates for City Council took advantage of the opportunity to make their positions known?

IS IT TRUE that Rick Davis was the first of the candidates to speak because his schedule is getting busy these days and he had to head on to his next appearance?…that Mr. Davis shared some personal experiences that involved the dangers and consequences of smoking?…that he also told a story from his youth when he calculated just how long it would take for his family to buy a VCR with the savings that could have accrued by quitting smoking?…that Mr. Davis expressed a general distaste for being around smoking and talked some about his jogging and how Evansville should become a healthier city?…that Mr. Davis committed as Mayor to sign whatever resolution that came to him from next year’s City Council even if it is a completely comprehensive resolution that includes Casino Aztar?

IS IT TRUE that Democratic at-large candidate for City Council Jonathan Weaver who is not only an avid runner but a fast one shared his thought process as he is trying to reach a conclusion?…that Mr. Weaver finds it difficult to accept that the City Council should tell private clubs what they can and cannot do but openly acknowledges the risks associated with smoking?…that Mr. Weaver also stated that he is currently undecided but did state that tobacco is a legal product?

IS IT TRUE that perhaps the most progressive of the candidates Democratic candidate for the 3rd Ward City Council seat, Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley expressed support for a comprehensive smoking ban on the basis of worker’s rights?…that she furthermore is open to a less than total ban in order to make positive progress toward an eventual comprehensive ban?

IS IT TRUE that former smoker and current pipe smoker E. Lon Walters the Republican candidate for the 2nd Ward City Council seat shared his studies and personal experiences with attempts to quit smoking?…Mr. Walters told us that in his studies he had learned that tobacco addiction is harder to quit than heroin and other addictive narcotics?…Mr. Walters said he would love to quit the pipe and supports a comprehensive smoking ordinance?…that even though he would be okay with exceptions for private clubs and tobacco only purveyors that he will support the most stringent ban that can be passed?

IS IT TRUE that Republican 5th Ward candidate Brent Grafton provided a new twist in supporting a comprehensive ban not only on the grounds of good public policy but on environmental hazards that tobacco use creates?…that he gave a testimony about some research that he had done that uncovered that of all of the toxicity removal plants in this world that tobacco is the 2nd best at removing toxins from the soil?…that toxins that are taken from the soil are deposited into the leaves of the tobacco plant and from there they are made into tobacco products that deliver those toxins into the lungs of users and into the general populace as toxic particles?…that these toxic particles are then absorbed into the skin of innocent people who make contact with the surfaces that are contaminated?…that Mr. Grafton supports a comprehensive smoking ban but would accept exceptions if that is what it takes to pass a stricter ordinance?

IS IT TRUE that at-large Republican candidate Michelle Mercer is a registered nurse?…that she expressed support for a comprehensive ban on smoking based on an economic argument that had taken public health costs into consideration?…that Ms. Mercer did express a reluctance to impose a ban at Casino Aztar because of the lost revenue to the City coffers but was persuaded that even if $1 Million was lost from boat money that if a 7% saving could be seen in health insurance premiums for city workers that the payback time would be one year?…that a guest expressed that the closest alternative places to gamble are 2 hours or more away and that gambling is an addiction too so boat money revenue would most like be neutral while savings could occur with health insurance?

IS IT TRUE that it was also pointed out that if Casino Aztar became non-smoking that this would truly make it unique among casinos and that maybe the new initiatives to promote tourism could leverage this to bring gamblers to town from Louisville, St. Louis, and French Lick?…that winning the tourism game is all about uniqueness?

IS IT TRUE that there was a ceremony yesterday to celebrate the finish refurbishment of the childhood home of Connie Brown at 1165 South Evans Avenue?…that this refurbishment has been reported to have cost under $100,000 and to have taken no direct local government dollars?…that the mortgage on the property is 88% of the cost to repair and that the loan is being held by DMD at a rate of ZERO %?…that when compared to the typical Front Door Pride program that builds for $200,000 to sell for $100,000 that this deal looks like a public bargain?…that refurbishment deals like the Evans Avenue project keep the character and value base of the neighborhood?…that this deal is just one step from being sustainable and that next step is to obtain a private mortgage at market rates so public money is not tied up for 30 years?…that it does seem as though the right person was paired with the right house at the right price so in spite of the $12,287 federal grant and the fact that DMD is playing banker this is an improvement to the status quo?…that if this owner would choose to refinance in the near future at market rates that this money would be available for other projects?…that then such a program would essentially be sustainable at the local level?

IS IT TRUE that the candidates for Mayor have run the gamut this week with joint appearances?…that they spoke at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast before a group and an entity that is a traditional supporter of Republican candidates and positions?…that last night they spoke before the Central Labor Council that is traditionally a strong supporter of Democratic candidates?…that while being wired for tradition that the local unions have been departing from supporting the party to supporting the candidates?…that the IAFF #357 last night finalized their endorsements for the Evansville elections?…that if the IAFF #357 has their way the Evansville City Council will be taken over by a Republican majority as the IAFF #357 has endorsed 5 Republicans and two Democrats for City Council along with Democratic candidate for Mayor Rick Davis?…that we are curious to see just how many Democrats will be endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce?…that thinking is quite superior to following tradition in all elections and that the CCO is pleased to congratulate the IAFF #357 for breaking with tradition to endorse the candidates they think is best without regard to party?…that we hope to congratulate many other groups that make endorsements in the near future?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Vancouver, WA just across the river from Portland, OR has grown in population since 1960 from 32,464 to 161,791 residents?…that Clark County, WA that Vancouver is the county seat of has grown from 93,308 to 425,363 during the same period adding over 100,000 people per decade since 1990?…that officials in that county are concerned that they are not doing well enough?…that they do have higher than average unemployment but that is mostly due to the high growth in population before the current recession started?…that coming from a place with a shrinking population that seems rather nonchalant about the shrinkage that it seems as though Vancouver, WA is adapting very well to the knowledge based changes in the jobs spectrum?…that the perspective of a place that wants to excel on their own performance is quite different than a place that is comfortable with the status quo no matter what it is?