Mike Katcher has announced his candidacy for the office of Indiana State Representative for Dist. 30, which represents much of Kokomo and parts of eastern Howard County and western Grant County. Katcher will run as a Democrat.
Katcher, a literal former rocket scientist, retired as an engineer at Haynes International. He previously ran for a seat on the Kokomo Common Council.
“The reason I am running is to offer my experience and skills in an effort to give to Indiana what America gave to me: the freedom of worship or not, public education, literature, neighborhood, family, healthcare, and work,” said Katcher. “I am tired of the loss of freedoms put into law by my Republican colleagues in the Indiana House. This job is not rocket science, but Indiana is slowly losing these freedoms and as a result increases in drug addiction, crime, and gun violence while reducing life expectancy.”
Katcher also introduced one of his positions on the problems facing the local community as well as the entire state. He took a stand against the Kokomo Common Council’s recent legislative attempt to relocate the homeless from downtown.
“An example of this loss of freedom is the new ordinance proposed by the Kokomo administration that proposes the arresting and stealing property from the homeless in our community,” said Katcher. (The homeless) need a place to stay that is safe, that provides privacy and a place to sleep, wash and congregate with friends.
“Instead of forcing them to relocate, why not provide them a place to satisfy their needs at a low cost to the city? There is an enormous amount of funds dedicated to the battery plants and buying land for these factories that could be, in a minor proportion, devoted to the homeless.”
Katcher went on the characterize many of the homeless as veterans or mentally disabled and posited that their homeless condition was exacerbated years ago when the state of Indiana closed much of its mental hospital infrastructure. He proposed the City of Kokomo take more aggressive measures to provide services to the homeless population.
“The homeless need safety, the freedom to come and go as they please, and personal hygiene,” said Katcher. “Small, dispersed areas of the city should be purchased and set aside for them with small, insulated dwellings that can be locked, have a bed, shower, toilet, and wash basin. This might provide privacy and security which they now lack.
“These dwellings could be set up in rows for economy. Japan provides at railway stations, small secure containers set one atop the other to allow overnight passengers between trains to nap or sleep in self-locked privacy and safety. Common toilets and showers are provided. The containers are large enough for the guest to sit up and read in light. This sounds better than a cardboard box on pavement outdoors, or a park bench or a water fountain shower or a hallway toilet.”
Katcher will face incumbent Republican Mike Karickhoff in the general election in November.