Looks like MORe Dirty Politics in InDY..Can I get a Smoke

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Video: Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot



Smoking Ban Vote Could Put Ballard In Tough Spot
Revived Anti-Smoking Ordinance Leaves Mayor In Quandary

POSTED: 7:01 pm EST November 10, 2009
UPDATED: 8:35 pm EST November 10, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS -- A renewed effort to toughen Indianapolis' anti-smoking ordinance could put Mayor Greg Ballard in a tough position.

The City-County Council voted Monday night to put the ban, which would add bars, bowling alleys and private clubs to the current ban passed in 2005, back under consideration.

Two weeks ago, it was tabled when it didn't get the 15 votes needed to either pass or fail.


Shortly before the vote, Ballard urged Republican council members to vote no on expanding the ban to save him from issuing a veto, despite the fact that he pledged support for smoke-free work places during his election campaign, 6News' Norman Cox reported.

Anti-smoking activists said they are happy that a bipartisan coalition of council members voted to revive the proposed ordinance that failed last month.

"It was very clever in that procedural maneuvering on behalf of our supporters to bring it off the table and carry it forward to Nov. 30," said Tim Filler of Smoke Free Indy.

But Brad Klopfenstein, the head of the group Save Indianapolis Bars, said he suspects Democratic councilors who voted to revive the ban are out to embarrass Ballard more than to pass the ordinance.

"If he comes out and says he's going to veto it, that gives the Democrats reason to en masse vote in favor of it," Klopfenstein said. "That way it's not them voting against the smoking ban, it's Mayor Ballard vetoing it. If he doesn't come out publicly, then they can say that he's not showing leadership. So it's a lose-lose for the mayor."

Ballard, in a rare interview on the topic Tuesday, denied that he's showing a lack of leadership, but won't say what he plans to do next.

"This is a balance between public health and civil liberties," he said. "My take on this is that most of the people in Indianapolis are going to fall on the civil liberties side of this."

So will he address the council, or at least the Republican members before the next vote?

Ballard would not answer whether or not he would veto the ordinance if it passes.

Councilors could vote on the ban again on Nov. 30.