Though he says he hasn’t had any conversations with potential investors about the state’s so-called “religious freedom” bill, West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis acknowledges he’s fighting against the bad press it’s created.
Dennis says, “when the perception, and again, I have to emphasize the word ‘perception,’ is that there is something discriminatory going on in your state, that people are not being treated equitably across the board, that gives us somewhat of a challenge. People start scratching their heads and asking ‘what’s going on in Indiana?’ and that trickles down to ‘what’s going on in West Lafayette?’”
Speaking on WBAA’s “Ask The Mayor,” Dennis says West Lafayette respects individuality and is redoubling efforts to tout its culture of tolerance and diversity.
Dennis believes the bill’s authors had good intentions, but didn’t take enough time to understand how the bill could negatively affect the state.