Mayor Dan Canan (letter featured below) writes that local ordinances apply to all areas of Muncie, not just Ball State. He is technically correct. The ordinance in question is the local housing bill that would prevent more than three unrelated people from living in the same rental property.
The bill aims to prevent parking problems, noise and excessive habitation in rentals. Also, it puts the responsibility of solving parking problems on landlords, ordering them to provide parking so students will not be ticketed. Technically, the ordinance applies to all sections of Muncie - but to imply any other area is the target is misleading.
Where else in Muncie is there a parking, noise or excessive habitation problem that warrants legislation like this? While the trash problem applies all over Muncie, the legislation is directed at the campus area.
Canan says he is looking out for students' concerns. However, the "three unrelated" clause contradicts him. By deciding how many students can share housing and implying that anyone living with more than two other unrelated people must be violating a parking rule, making noise or trashing campus the legislation clearly targets Ball State students.
Canan urges interested parties to attend a public subcommittee hearing. We suggest something more revolutionary. A Ball State student, such as a member of the Student Government Association, should serve on the City Council. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this opportunity exists. Here, it does not.
SGA president Tolu Olowomeye, former president Tommy Rector, and the Daily News all support the housing code, with the exception of the "three unrelated" clause. SGA has been trying to "eliminate the clause or raise it to four or five," Rector said.
Without a student vote this legislation could pass. Both agree that active, voting student representation is a good idea for Muncie so that questionable legislation such as this could be tempered.
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