RICHMOND, IN — Indiana, Wayne County and local Democrats held a panel discussion Thursday night, July 24, to discuss the state of Wayne County and Indiana.
The Indiana Democratic Party chair, the Wayne County Democratic Party chair and two Richmond Common Council members under current administrations.
The event was part of the party’s statewide effort to reach voters in Republican-controlled areas, with Richmond about the 10th town hall (and second in the Sixth Congressional District) since the start of the year, according to Indiana Democratic Party spokesperson Sam Barloga.
The panel at the Leland Legacy ballroom featured Indiana Democrat Party Chair Karen Tallian, Wayne County Democratic Party chair Maggie Thomas and Richmond council members Lucinda Wright and Bill Engle, who each answered questions and discussed what the most important local issues to them.
‘Who can afford that?’ Wright asks about housing issues
Wright cited a recent study that found 7,200 people in the city are underhoused, and 5,000 of them senior citizens.
“Everything we hear about now is market-rate,” she said. “Who in the hell is going to be able to afford those apartments that start off at $1,500, and who is going to be able to afford $250,000 to $300,000 houses? With all the cuts, the drawbacks … they’re talking about messing with Social Security. Who can afford that?”
Wright added that opportunities can be provided for people to have affordable housing, but everyone has to work together.
SNAP cuts and food insecurity
Thomas’ main issue in Wayne County centered around food insecurity, specifically cuts to SNAP benefits as the result of a new federal bill.
“One of the things we decided is that we wanted to start focusing on, as a party, ways in which we could get involved in volunteering for global food-related organizations, even having food drives,” she said. “For example, we have just started this year more or less a monthly event called ‘Eating Liberally.'”
Thomas said the event is for those who want to eat with people of shared values and take donated food to local food pantries.
“People need to eat and we care about people and children being healthy and well-fed,” she said.
Diversity, equity and inclusion in local government
Acknowledging the fact there are no Democrats in county leadership and few at the city level, as well as very little minority representation, Engle talked about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in local government.
Wright, as an African-American woman, is the only minority on Richmond’s Common Council, which she and Engle both brought up.
“I was so happy Lucinda agreed to run for city council,” Engle said. “She brings a wonderful perspective and brings issues to the forefront that I haven’t really been thinking about.”
Engle added that all council members have to represent Black and Latino citizens as well as those who are dealing with homelessness and welcome them into city or county governments.
“We don’t do that,” he said. “Richmond’s not the only city in Indiana or the country that does this, but the city is run by people that their priorities are not what we as Democrats think our priorities ought to be. We have to work at that every day, and we have to help organize.”
After the town hall, Engle said he thinks it’s important that the community is reflected in the county and city governments.
“I just think so many people don’t feel like they can approach government,” he said.
Persuading Democrats to run for local positions
Tallian said one of her main functions of IDP is to get Democrats on ballots in local elections.
“We can’t get Democrats elected until we get them on the ballots,” she said. “When I was talking about getting involved, help us do this voter outreach. And here’s a line that I’m stealing from somebody else: Run for something. If you don’t want to do it yourself, talk your friend into running for something.”
At one point, attendee Marcia Cowan asked why the town hall was focusing on just local issues given the White House cuts on DEI and other programs, as well as the lack of coordination among local Democratic groups and the state’s Democratic party.
“I understand that you’re looking for the Million Man March or a march on Washington or 3 million people in the street at the same time,” Tallian said to Cowan. “It’s harder to do and we might get there, but in the meantime, we have literally hundreds of groups who already exist and already have their base.
“We may not be fully coordinating everything, but grassroots movements are like herding cats. And as long as we are all rowing in the same direction, we can be on parallel tracks as long as we’ve met the same goal and we’re moving in the right direction.”
Disappointment in the attendance
Some panelists, including Engle, were disappointed only about 30 people attended.
“When Trump was elected, Maggie was out of town, so I had to run the Democrats’ business meeting,” Engle said. “I thought six or seven people. It turned out there was 30 people and they were mad and wanted to do something. People need a chance to vent and get involved.”
Tallian also noted fewer people at the town hall than were hoped for, but she said she understood that it was held on a Thursday night and that there were still people who were interested in the issues at the state and national levels.
“It was good to listen to all these people,” she said. “Hear what their concerns are. We’re hearing very similar themes all over the state. People are mad and they’re coming out.”
Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at eweaver@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Local Democratic leaders share their issues in government at ‘People’s Town Hall’
Reporting by Evan Weaver, Richmond Palladium-Item / Richmond Palladium-Item
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