Thursday, July 14, 2005

A Mayor Who Gets It

Kudos to Mayor John Zumer of Crwafordsville, who bucked the trend toward the Nanny State here in Indiana by issuing his veto to a smoking ban recently passed by the City Council there. Indy Star story.

He vetoed the ordinance for the right reasons.
The council last year imposed a smoking ban in all city-owned property and considered the ban for all places of employment throughout the city after a campaign by a local anti-smoking group.

Zumer, however, said he was against such government regulation on legal products and that people were not forced to work at or visit places that allowed smoking.

“Adults naturally concerned about their health and the health of minors entrusted to them are not required to patronize establishments that allow cigarette usage,” Zumer said.

The Chamber of Commerce doesn't get it- in a huge way.
The Chamber of Commerce in the city about 40 miles northwest of Indianapolis had backed the tighter restrictions, saying health concerns outweighed arguments for personal and business owners rights.

Good grief, but the Chamber of Commerce is supposed to be the advocate of local business, and here they are advocating interference in local business owners setting their own policies. If I were a restauranteur in Crawfordsville, I'd withdraw from the Chamber immediately.

Way to go, Mr. Mayor!

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