INDIANAPOLIS — A proposal that would have drastically changed how community groups give away food and clothes to people in need was shot down Wednesday night by the Indianapolis Criminal Justice and Safety Committee. Proposal 291 can be viewed by clicking here. A protest against it was held outside of the City-County Building before the committee voted.
"In putting in this bureaucratic barrier, it makes it really intimidating for the average person to actually take action," Sam James, one of the people against the now failed proposal, said. James tells WRTV, the sponsor of the proposal, Councillor Mike Hart, should worry about something else.
"I don't think Councilman Hart has any reason to be in this process. It's working fine the way it is. It doesn't need to be streamlined," James said
Councillor Hart tells WRTV, he understands and the respects the criticism lobbied at him over the proposal. However, he wants to ensure everyone, it was done with the right intentions. You can see some of the reasons why he sponsored it by viewing the post he shared on Monday.
<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/mike.hart.9210/posts/10221471799079327" data-show-text="false" data-width=""><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/mike.hart.9210/posts/10221471799079327" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><p>The facts about Proposal 291!</p>Posted by <a href="#" role="button">Mike Hart</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mike.hart.9210/posts/10221471799079327">Monday, November 16, 2020</a></blockquote></div>
"What I see now is an opportunity for education. I'm not trying to harm anybody or do anything negative. I just want to see something different," Hart said.
Something different as in how we help those in need. Hart says he had support from several community members, groups, and businesses. Now, Hart will go back to the drawing board, trying to figure out what to put forth that will pass.
"I think if we do it from an education standpoint perspective, moving forward, there'll be more buy in from the whole council," Hart said.
