Proposal would remove councilors’ home addresses from ethics forms after shooting
A proposal to remove Indianapolis City-County Councilors' home addresses from ethics disclosure forms passed the Ethics Committee. This measure was prompted by an incident where Councilor Ron Gibson's home was shot at following his support for a controversial data center in Martindale-Brightwood. The proposal now advances to the full City-County Council for a vote.
The Indianapolis City-County Council's Ethics Committee has voted 4-1 to advance a proposal that would remove councilors' home addresses from annual ethics disclosure forms. This decision was largely influenced by safety concerns, particularly after City-County Councilor Ron Gibson's home was shot at earlier this year. The incident occurred following Gibson's public support for a controversial data center project located in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood.
Councilor Frank Mascari was the sole dissenting vote on the committee, arguing against the removal of the information. However, other councilors, including Josh Bain, emphasized the heightened political climate and confirmed receiving various threats, such as death threats and swatting. Councilor Michael Paul-Hart noted that councilors' addresses would still be accessible through other public records, suggesting the proposal might not be a complete solution for personal safety. The measure now awaits a vote by the full City-County Council.