The City Beat

The IBJ posted an article the other day regarding The Aristocrat's owner, Rick Rising-Moore's request for a variance to cover more than a few things he's been doing at his venerable establishment for at least a decade without the proper City approvals to do so, including, laughably, a parking variance.

A link to the article can be found here:

http://www.ibj.com/property-lines-2012-05-08-litigious-aristocrat-owner-seeks-parking-variance-after-opposing-one-for-calle-52/PARAMS/post/34298

The reason this is funny, as the article properly notes, is that Rising-Moore has been appealing the issuance of the same variance for a proposed establishment, Calle 52, across the street, going so far as to try to get the Indiana Supreme Court to hear the zoning case.  It's widely presumed that he will do the same for their liquor permit.

While the two-sided nature of Rising-Moore's action is obvious, it also creates a problem for Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association, which is in the process of reviewing this latest variance request.  Instictively, you'd think MKNA would oppose the varance because of Rising-Moore's obstruction of Calle 52's permits.  But, the reasons for requesting the respective variances are precisely the same.  There isn't, and hasn't ever been, sufficient parking for businesses in Meridian Kessler's business nodes.  At the same time, most of us want our local establishments at those nodes to both survive and flourish.  

Our dear friends at MKNHN who happily testified in support of Rising-Moore's appeal will likely remain silent on The Aristocrat's petition, mostly because Rising-Moore appealed the Calle 52 permits, which they opposed. It is, however, totally illogical to attempt to distinguish between the two applications, except for the fact that The Aristocrat has been operating ilegally for a decade or more, and Calle 52 hasn't been operating at all.

Hopefully, MKNA will support The Variance for The Aristocrat, and equally hopefully, MKNA will make it as uncomfortable as possible for Mr. Rising-Morre by making him distinguish between his operation and that of Calle 52.  Maybe someone else will decide to take The Aristocrat's petition to the Supreme Court if for no other reason than to remind Mark Massa that he's not in Kansas anymore.  Meanwhile, it would be nice to see a new business across the street from The Aristocrat and for Mr. Rising-Morre to finally realize that there's room on the block for more business.  Don't hold your breath.

One of the folks at Thursday night’s Meridian Kessler Plan meeting made the interesting comment that he simply liked the way Meridian Kessler was now, and we were all wasting our time trying to change it.  

While there’s quite a bit to like about Meridian Kessler right now, it’s worth noting that Meridian Kessler today is a lot different than Meridian Kessler yesterday, and both will be different than Meridian Kessler tomorrow.  Freezing a place at some given point in time, while perhaps a bit nostalgic, never seems to happen, because things do change, and there’s some value in exploring how things have changed, how things might change, what changes we might like, and which we wouldn’t.

We talked Thursday night about the stretch of College Avenue between Kessler Boulevard and 52nd Street.  (Future sessions will offer an opportunity to talk about other areas, some that are substantially similar to this area, and some that aren’t.)  Still, there have been changes in even this small area, and over the next few decades, there’s no reason to believe there might not be more.

Just north of Kessler along College, most of the former residences have become businesses.  Is that a trend we’d like to see continued further south?  College Avenue is already being discussed as a transportation corridor, perhaps simply with vastly improved bus service, or perhaps someday with light rail.  That change alone is going to make the street more attractive to commerce.

Two businesses at College and Kessler are former gas stations.  One houses a veterinary clinic, and the other an auto repair shop.  Modern automobiles require a lot less regular servicing, and at the same time, a lot more specialized repair, so one might wonder at the future use of that site, and whether some other type of building might someday be proposed there.

There’s also been a bit of spread, at least to the east, of that intersection, as one apartment complex at some point replaced what was likely a house.  Is that an acceptable pattern of change along Kessler?  A bit further south is the Bell Telephone complex.  In another decade we may not have wired “anything.”   We’re seeing fewer and fewer jobs tethered to physical offices.  How might this space be repurposed?

Further south along College, the majority of what were once single family homes are now doubles.  That transition has been ongoing for decades, and evidences just how much more “dense” the area has become.  Could College become even more dense?  There was considerable talk about traffic calming, using such things as bumped out curbs to slow traffic.  How does that concept square with College as a transportation hub?      Perhaps College can’t be both?  If we impede traffic on College, won’t it just flow to other streets to the east and west?

Alleys were discussed, as was parking.  People who live on Broadway or Carrollton park in front of their houses, and thus compete for parking with those using our commercial nodes.  Many have garages but don’t use them.  Would that change if the City invested in alley improvements, or is today’s garage mostly just a storage shed?  Could commercial enterprises in the area invest in pooled parking?  Must our commercial nodes always engage in parking wars like the one currently going on over the proposed Calle 52 site?

College and 54th is pretty well developed, but also provides an interesting study on zoning plans.  Both the City and the neighborhood originally wanted a different site plan for the Fresh Market, with the building brought closer to the curb and parking in the rear.  Fresh Market said they wouldn’t come here except with the current design, and the neighborhood eventually decided it wanted the grocery more than a building type.  Still, if for whatever reason Fresh Market ever left there, you have to admit the building looks strangely like a Walgreens.

A bit more is happening at College and 52nd.  Commercial buildings have spread east from the original intersection, and now exist all the way to Carrollton, with two residences mixed in.  Could they become commercial?  We were told that there’s new ownership of the Taste/Red Key building.  Could that bring changes?    Will the war between the Aristocrat and Calle 52 go on forever?  (Why is there a “SoBro” Cafe so far from “Bro”?  Just here is “SoBro” anyway?”)

That’s just a smattering of the sort of changes we ought to be talking about in Meridian Kessler  -  changes that have happened, are happening, and will keep on happening.  The next “Plan” meeting is  Monday, February 27th, at the College Ave. library at 6:30 p.m.  The focus there will be College Ave. further south, from 52nd to 40th.  That’s an area that will be seeing even greater changes, because there are vacant properties and because the new Economic Development District makes some tools for development more available than in the past.  If you’re interested, come on down.  Or, maybe you like Meridian Kessler just the way it is.  Just remember, the way it is has changed, is changing, and will change.

While we were asleep last night, Secretary of State Charlie White was convicted on six criminal counts, ranging from voter fraud to theft and all relating to the question of his eligibility to run for office in the first place.

Opponents of White will tell you this is the worst political crime in Indiana since a guy named Stephenson decided to take an ill advised train trip a century or so ago.  White’s supporters allege that there are all sorts of politicians who don’t, and haven’t, lived where they’re registered to vote, including most of our past and present Federal legislators who actually pack up and move to washington, where they work.  There’s probably some merit to both arguments, but at least to me, it reminds of the fact that we still, in Indiana and elsewhere, continue to elect people to offices we don’t understand, and to perform functions we also don’t understand.

When this issue started getting publicity, shortly after the election, even Charlie White spent quite a bit of time explaining that his job didn’t entail anything that the few voters who thought they understood the job, assumed in entailed.   Now that Indiana’s Treasurer is also running for higher office, he too has been spending more than a little time explaining that his job, where he’s hardly in attendance, really doesn’t involve doing very much.  Really, both jobs are simply about getting your name heard enough to run for some other office, and both of the guys elected to these jobs have long ago hired people to do the entirety of what’s required in their positions.

If the State Treasurer spends 90% of his time campaigning for the US Senate, Indiana’s books still stay balanced, its investments are still made, and our government is still funded.  If Indiana’s Secretary of State is removed from office, the Governor simply appoints someone to “run” the office.  In Charlie’s case, that’s already been done, and not surprisingly, the Governor simply appointed the guy who was running the office all along.

Neither office makes any policy decisions.  They simply perform ministerial functions, and if they’re really lucky, something actually related to those ministerial functions catches the public eye, and they get to make a speech.  That hardly ever happens, but they find ways to make speeches anyway, , since, as noted, the only reason they’re in their jobs is to gear up to run for some other office.  Even Bayh was once Secretary of State, on his way to being Governor.  That’s happened before, and none of the folks who later became Governor, or Congressman, or whatever, got elected because the populace was talking about the great job they’d done in their former office.

Indiana would be just as well served letting its Governor appoint someone to run the Secretary of State’s Office, or appointing a State Treasurer.  Heck, he probably wouldn’t mind if they gave a speech or two about something irrelevant to their job, as long as they were reasonably nice to the Governor.   People would still emerge to run for higher offices, the political parties would remain intact, and Indian would survive the experience.

We’ll miss you, Charlie, while your case is on appeal.  If you survive the experience, it won’t be your job performance we’ll notice when you return.  If you don’t survive, we’ll be talking about the politics of who permanently succeeds you for whatever time remains in your term, and no one will still have even the slightest idea of what it will be that they do either.

Tuesday morning as the temperatures neared 60, I decided it was time to get a look at the Superbowl festivities.  About 11:00 I walked the two blocks to the bus stop and caught the 17 bus downtown.  As an occasional rider of public transit, I’m accustomed to being one of very few riders if I head downtown anytime other than the morning rush hour, but Tuesday, the 17 Bus, which starts downtown from Glendale, was nearly half full by the time it arrived at 57th & College.  By the time it passed 42nd Street, there were no empty seats, and by 30th Street, the standing space was almost completely full.

Men were leaving their seats and offering them to ladies. People were pulling the stop cords for people who couldn’t reach them.  Most of the passenger conversation revolved around either amazement at all the people on the bus  (this from the regular riders) or amazement that it really wasn’t an awful experience  (from those who were conducting their own experiment).  People openly gawked at the sights on their journey  (apparently there are those who simply don’t go downtown any more).  In Meridian Kessler there seemed to be a lot of excitement that Lindner’s has disappeared, or that the house where they were raised was still standing  (like my daughter, a lot of people assume that if you leave a house, it’s immediately torn down).  As we neared downtown, some were loudly amazed that both the Murat and the Atheraeum were still there, or that Market Square Arena wasn’t.

There were riders who’d driven as far as Glendale from Carmel.  A couple loaded their bicycles on the front of the bus, and pedaled off once we reached Mass. Ave.  Everyone was engaged in some sort of a conversation, mostly with strangers, and all reminiscent of what you might have found at a queue at Walt Disney World.

I spent about three hours downtown walking the sights.  There seemed to be at least one policeman at every corner south of St. Clair, and usually a blue scarfed volunteer within eyeshot.  Downtown, at noon, seemed already more crowded than I’d seen it in three decades, and this was five days before the game.  Most of the Official tourist sites for the game weren’t open yet, so all just immersed themselves in what was open.  I ran into a neighbor’s kid who was perfectly happy that Indiana’s open bottle law had seemingly disappeared, and seemed nearly joyous that he could openly carry his official bottle of Bud.

About 3 p.m., when things were starting to open, and the people who’d been in the zip line queues since 7 a.m. actually began the climb to their 45 second ride, I walked back to Delaware and again caught the 17 bus.  This time there were a couple of empty seats, but that’s all.  I talked to a couple of regular riders, who still seemed awestruck that perfect strangers were actually talking to them on IndyGo.  I found that most of their complaints about transit service were the same ones those of us who actually attended most of the public meetings had already heard.  The further away from downtown you were, the harder it was to go east and west, as opposed to north and south, and on weekends, or at night, it was nearly impossible to go anywhere except downtown.  After 10 p.m., going anywhere was pretty much out of the question.

The bus was about half full at 57th Street when I jumped off.  The newbies who remained were all talking about trying other IndyGo trips.  Some were laughing about a legislature that was willing to put a creationism curriculum in our schools, but not a vote on improving transit on our next ballot.

Based on what I’ve heard about parking downtown this week, my experience Tuesday is going to be repeated over and over in the coming few days.  It would be nice if some of our legislators couldn’t find any other way to work.  (OK, it would be nice if they never found a way to get to work)  But they have guaranteed parking, and probably won’t ever notice whether the buses are full or empty, or just not there at night.

I would hope this week will open some eyes about public transportation in Indianapolis.  Not just the eyes of our legislators,but those of the rest of us as well.  If public transportation is going to grow, it’s going to have to be used.  Even the naysayers about our latest rransit plan are right about that.  Fares are going to have to pay for a good portion of an expanded system.  But it’s possible to use IndyGo today, especially to get downtown  Roundtrip from downtown costs $3.50, and even when the Superbowl leaves town, you won’t find parking anywhere near that cheap.  It get’s you within easy waslking distane of any of the downtown places you’d likely be going, and based on the reaction of the regulars to just Tuesday’s crods, people will be happy to see you getting on the bus.  Give it a try.

If you happened to attend the January MKNA Board meeting, you likely noticed that the majority of the meeting was taken up with a rather agitated conversation about education.  A representative of one of the groups that’s proposing reforms for IPS ws invited to speak, and, because unlike our friends at MKNHN, MKNA has public meetings and publishes its agenda, representatives from other groups with opinions concerning IPS also showed up and in an equally vigorous manner, expressed their opinions as well.  I presume MKNA eventually got around to conducting business, but since education consumed over an hour of the meeting, and IU was about to be trashed by Minnesota, I missed that part, along with other Board members.

The issue the Board meeting brought up, at least in my mind, is the actual role of a neighborhood association, which basically is to deal with issues that arise inside their neighborhood. that offer the possibility for the neighborhood to impact change.

Just a few years ago the biggest issue in Meridian Kessler was property taxes.  If you remember back that far, homeowners were paying nearly five percent of their home’s value in local taxes, and people were leaving for suburbs with much lower tax rates.  Hardly a week went by without an organized protest somewhere in the neighborhood.  More than a couple of MKNA meetings began, and ended, with property tax discussions, and not much else got done.

MKNA’s President back then (a very wise guy) made the decision to move the discussion away from the MKNA Board, and appointed a committee to deal with the issue.  Literally dozens of meetings were held, and the committee actually learned a tremendous amount about property taxes in Indiana.  Position papers were drafted, mostly by individuals, because the committee never reached much consensus on the solution.  In the end, of course, the legislature came up with its solution to the problem, and like Prufrock, the neighborhood moved on to the next hundred visions and revisions.

Now I’ve said before that education is probably the most important issue facing Meridian Kessler  -  true today and true even before the property tax issue.  If families don’t deem our schools acceptable, or do deem them acceptable but aren’t able to get their kids into those schools, families will continue to leave the area, and a neighborhood that isn’t filled with children won’t always be improving.

That said, MKNA isn’t going to solve the issue of schools in our neighborhood, especially not at a Board meeting attended by thirty or forty people.  That’s not to say the ‘neighborhood’ can’t impact eventual decisions, because we’re a neighborhood of close to 20,000 people.

It was suggested last night that MKNA sponsor a meeting regarding education.  Naturally the group that suggested this was one of the groups already proposing a solution, and it seemed to be presumed that such a meeting would be utilized to let them present their position.  Back in the tax issue days the same thing was proposed by a group whose solution was to simply eliminate property taxes, and the notion that MKNA ought to sponsor such a meeting actually got some traction on MKNA’s Board at the time, and eventually evolved into a debate on the issue, which I admit would have worked out better if either of the debaters had actually appeared at the debate.

Anyway, if MKNA were to sponsor such a meeting, it likely ought to be open to all groups with a position on the issue.  That, unfortunately would seem to include dozens, if not hundreds of groups, and probably involve a meeting that lasted somewhat longer than the last constitutional convention.  Presumably by the time such a meeting ended, or was ended by police hauling away the hopelessly conflicted attendees, the legislature would probably have enacted their version of a solution, loved by some, hated by others.

All of which takes me back to the role of a neighborhood association as it relates to issues that, while desperately important to the neighborhood, perhaps aren’t succeptable to a solution from within the neighborhood.  Personally, I think the solution is to provide information.  While MKNA never itself solved the property tax problem, it was able to post on its website, a tremendous amount of information concerning the issue, some neutral, some presented by groups that had formed distinct opinions.

To that end, please submit replies to this post.  Post links to the organizations that already have staked out positions.  Post your speeches, rants, positions, or whatever.  As long as we have bandwidth, they’ll stay here.  (Did anyone notice that the Star now uses Facebook for the posting of comments to their articles?  Must save them a ton of storage.)   Just don’t come to MKNA Board meetings to discuss something MKNA can’t solve.  If MKNA does decide to host a forum on education, you’ll hear about it, and while I’ll likely be watching a basketball game somewhere, I’ll feel your pain.

On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Development Commission heard, and passed, the final resolution for the Midtown Economic Development District.  Neighborhood Associations representing 40,000 people testified in support of the District.  Naturally, a representative of MKNHN, which represents eight people, testified in opposition.  That last part doesn’t surprise me, although I was interested to hear that some of MKNHN’s Board  (which constitutes all its membership) apparently walked the entire proposed District recently and were unable to find properties in need of development, or any need for infrastructure improvements.  

Their representative also noted that she was unable to locate any “boarded up” homes within the District.  I suppose that’s of some interest mainly because it shows that MKNHN still doesn’t understand that the purpose of an Economic Development District is to provide the means to improve commercial properties, not residential real estate.

What does bother me are the comments of Commission Member Ed Mahern, who noted that he was very disappointed that the associations which testified in favor of the District didn’t bring with them large numbers of minorities to stand in favor of the District.  Mahern was apparently so concerned over the issue that, after questioning  MDC Staff about the racial population within the proposed District, that he became the only Commissioner to vote in opposition to its formation.

I suppose the Associations should have thought to testify that each of the Associations testifying in support of the District in fact have minority members on their respective Boards.  I suppose the Associations should have thought to testify that in fact there are minority business owners at every business node within the proposed District.  I suppose MKNA should have thought to testify that its Immediate Past President is African American.  I suppose the associations should have thought to testify that the proposed District, as defined, is home to a substantial population of minorities, not just in Mapleton Fall Creek and, as noted, Boulevard Place in Butler Tarkington, but also along the College corridor in Meridian Kessler (as opposed to MKNHN’s testimony in response to Commissioner Mahern’s comments, that there is “hardly any” minority population in Meridian Kessler’s portion of the District  -  interesting because MKNHN’s membership is entirely white).  But, none of that testimony was presented, nor should it have been expected to be.

The purpose of an Economic Development District, particularly from the City’s perspective, is to provide tools that will, if utilized correctly, increase the assessed valuation (AV) of an area, particularly its commercial real estate.   That’s important, because the tax caps limit the City’s ability to receive property tax revenue, and if that revenue is to grow, it needs to happen by increasing the value of property.  No where in that theory is the supposition that the City is primarily interested in increasing the AV of only minority owners, nor is there an accounting mechanism available whereby the City could know with any certainty that such had been accomplished.

Now I suppose the Simon’s constitute a minority and that the development of Conseco Fieldhouse  (or whatever it’s about to be called) could have been done exclusively to promote minorities, but I doubt it.   I’m equally certain that had those testifying known of Commissioner Mahern’s interests, that they could have found a child with some sort of physical handicap, placed him upon their shoulders during the hearing, and had him bellow out “God Bless Us One and All,” at appropriate times during the hearing.  What I’m not sure about, is why the sort of political theater suggested by the Commissioner’s comments should have been necessary at all.

Or maybe I am.  God Bless Us One And All.

As the year winds down, the stage is being set for next year’s conversations, and based just on what’s been seen on the wings in the past week, the players ought to be able to hold the audience’s interest for at least a couple of acts, and, all the themes are more than a little relevant to Meridian Kessler.

First up this week was the IndyConnect Central Indiana Regional Transit Plan.  The Proposal, which you can find in enough places that it’s not worth totally summarizing here, has a couple of components that Meridian Kessler ought to like.  The first is a Rapid Transit System along College Avenue from Carmel to downtown, and the other is an improved circulator system within the Midtown area.  To proceed, the Indiana Legislature has to allow a referendum during the November Election in both Marion and Hamilton County, allowing a .3% income tax hike in both counties.  Oddly, it’s not a no brainer that our legislature would allow the referendums, but given that the proposal was publically presented in a room full of Republicans  all smiling and nodding their heads, it is going to be a bit difficult for a Republican State Legislature to ignore, even if it is associated with the dreaded “T” word.  What we should see, is some interesting conversations about who needs mass transit, where mass transit is needed, and what form it should take.

The second announcement of the week has been the Mind Trust’s proposal for a remodeled IPS.  It’s pertinent to MK because we actually have a school or two in our area that are very popular, so much so that we can’t get all our local kids enrolled in them.  The Washington Township portion of IPS has around 1000 students enrolled in IPS, but has room, in schools in IPS located in Washington Township that could hold twice that  -   more if you exclude Broad Ripple High School.  We fiercely want to send our kids to local schools that aren’t always available because of the way IPS structures school choice via magnet school enrollment.  The Mind Trust proposal wants to move funding out of the central IPS administration into the individual schools, but it also appears to eliminate what catchment area preferences we do have.  The proposal also eliminates the elected school board, in favor of  City Council and Mayoral appointments.  While, largely, the IPS School Board has been a disaster for a decade or more, interjecting politics into the equation is going to be viewed with more than a little skepticism.  For us, the conversation is going to revolve around our ability to get local kids into local schools, and maintaining what local parents see as the exceptional quality of their schools.  Any conversation about schools gets very, very complicated, and that’s why its hard to change the current system.  Look for this one to be no different.

Finally, the Midnorth Economic Development District it expected to be formed this week.  With a couple of notable exceptions the idea of  a District is pretty popular.  Following closely on the heels of the formation of the district, however, will be the formation of a TIF District, wherein the increase on property tax revenues from whatever gets built within the district is going to become available for any number of competing projects, and, those projects are going to come from neighborhoods that are more used to competing against each other than cooperating.  The group known as Midtown  (formerly Harmoni) has done a great job over the past few years of creating relationships between the various associations, but with large amounts of money added to the mix, that process isn’t going to get easier.  Mostly, people in MK are going to care about what gets built and where it gets built, but the same was true of the Broad Ripple Parking Garage, so it’s safe to expect you’ll be hearing more than a little about TIF Districts in 2012.

So, expect to be hearing a lot next year about transportation, schools, and development.  None are simple, and none come with easy answers, but if they did, they’d be short conversations, and a lot less interesting.  Oh, I’m told 2012 is also an election year.

In what would have been the ultimate act of contrition, the entire State of Pennsylvania, and all alumni of Penn State University committed suicide.  Fortunately for fans of the Big Ten, news of the event was dwarfed by the same day mass suicide of all Catholics.  Mormons still debate whether a few isolated sects, or just Mitt Romney should follow suit.

Indianapolis had a Mayoral election between two candidates who were uniformly acknowledged to be very nice people.   Both, however, ran months of campaign advertisements arguing the opposite.  Expect, a year from now, more than a couple of campaigns pitting Christ against the Anti-Christ, with both parties arguing during commercial breaks as to which candidate fits which role.

Professional basketball was saved for another season, as all players were given a $1000 raise.  In other news, the NBA players and owners also agreed to a new contract.

It appears Broad Ripple is still going to get a parking garage, which it will need even more, as Kilroy’s appears likely to open in time for the Super Bowl crowds.  Adding the typical February ice and snow to a few hundred more late night revelers during that week ought to make things even more interesting for homeowners surrounding the Broad Ripple strip.  The Super Bowl committee is considering erecting temporary bleachers along Guilford Avenue south of Broad Ripple so neighbors won’t be forced to watch  the NASCAR on ice exodus from Broad Ripple from more unsafe vantage points, such as their homes.

Seriously, Broad Ripple waits nearly a half century for a parking garage, and the City’s only solution is to pay for it themselves, give it away, and then forego the property tax from it as part of a TIF?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy that TIF’s are finally finding their way to Midtown.  Indianapolis has devoted a huge amount of money to developing downtown, while largely ignoring the reality that Midtown is where people, especially young people, want to live.  Getting something built at 49th & College and the Bee Window property, even with the inevitable months of MKNHN remostrances, will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.

Both CNN and Fox canceled their 2028 Presidential Candidates’ debate set for February when it was discovered that neither party had a current candidate who was toilet trained.  Fox protested the move, noting that they’d held dozens of debates under nearly the same circumstances.

Madonna will headline the Superbowl Half-time show.  She’s old enough that, even if there is a wardrobe malfunction, it wouldn’t be polite to watch.  Seriously, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Superbowl’s seeming fixation on aging rock stars, but gees, this is Indiana, and if we have to find a headliner who won’t be around the next time we land a Superbowl, what about Mellencamp?

The Postal Service has announced that starting in January, you can expect your first class mail to arrive someday, and at a higher price.  Junk mail will still speed to your door.  Here in Indy, we’d be better served if they’d just subcontract mail delivery to the Indianapolis Star.  Somehow my newspaper, all six pages of it, gets to my door every morning at 6 a.m., and at least twice a week, they throw in 20 pounds of junk mail.  

Indianapolis is inching closer to a smoking ban.  The Republican proposal would allow smoking in close to a dozen locations around the city, sparing Hookah Bars  (Broad Ripple for some reason has two  -  maybe Al Quaeda is less likely to attack  there? ) and VFW Posts (to make the Mayor happy  -  post traumatic stress syndrome is better dealt with over a Camel).  Democrats appear ready to squelch the deal unless smoking is limited to unattached garages.