Council divided on chances of reviving tabled ordinance
Jump to full article: Indianapolis (IN) Star, 2009-10-27
Author: Francesca Jarosz
Intro: A proposal to ban smoking in nearly all Indianapolis workplaces faces an uncertain future after a narrowly divided City-County Council tabled it Monday night.
The 14-13 vote means the ordinance can return to the council agenda with majority support, but some on the council said achieving that could be difficult. The vote is the latest in a series of close decisions by the 29-member body in recent months.
Opponents of the ordinance, which would strengthen a current ban on smoking in most restaurants and public spaces such as hotel lobbies, were declaring victory after Monday's vote. . . .
No public comment was allowed Monday, but nearly all the seats in the Public Assembly Room of the City-County Building were filled.
Opponents donned red shirts to signify stopping the resolution and had to be subdued for making comments during the council members' remarks. Proponents wore green shirts to promote passing the ban.
"I don't think this council is going to bring it back," said Brad Klopfenstein, former executive director of the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association who is leading an opposition group called Save Indianapolis Bars. "I'm glad to see they're representing the rights of adults to make adult decisions."
Others interpreted the vote differently. Bruce Hetrick is a volunteer for Smoke Free Indy whose wife died of cancer after years of working in a smoke-filled environment.
"We have tonight stared in the face of overwhelming health and economic evidence and just scoffed at it," Hetrick said. "This delay tonight is another death sentence. It's deeply disappointing."
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