Terrell Brown wrote:
Mayor Neil Giuliano of Tempe, AZ says we're being lied to about the effects of the clean air ordinance there.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/4801563.html
He says "I was very disappointed to read that Greg Ortale of the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau (Op Ex, March 23) is spreading false information about the effects of our clean air ordinance in Tempe, Ariz."
And "In fact, a recent Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau study asked
visitors for their reaction to Tempe's no-smoking ordinance. More than
84 percent of respondents said the ban on indoor smoking was a positive
attribute of the destination."
That is an interesting commentary.
One of the biggest arguments against a clean air ordinance is the supposed loss of business that current smoking bars and clubs would experience as people went to adjacent cities to partake in their smoking habit while seeking entertainment. But that's not what happened in Tempe, though there is plenty of opportunity for it.
Tempe is a suburb in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is, in fact, completely surrounded by larger cities. It's like Richfield is to Minneapolis, but more so. Tempe has a population of about 160,000 people in a 3.2 million people metro area, or about 5% of the metro area population. Clearly, it would be easy to go someplace else to smoke, e.g. Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale or Phoenix are all large and adjacent cities.
Minneapolis is about 383,000 people in a metro area of about 2.6 million people, or about 15% of the populace. St. Paul has a population of about 287,000 or about 11% of the metro area population.
Although the number of smoking establishments is not directly proportional the population of cities, it is correlated enough to give an idea of the relative number and sizes. It is safe to say that if Tempe can pass a clean air ordinance and not suffer, Minneapolis could do the same. If both Minneapolis and St. Paul passed clear air ordinances, that could potentially cover the majority of bars and clubs in the metro area. It's likely a few suburbs, like Eden Prairie, which already has a weaker version of such a law, would quickly follow suit.
I visited Boston a few times between 1986 and 1994, went to a bunch of bars and clubs to see shows, ate at a few fancy restaurants and suffered through their airport. I was amazed at how smoky that city was, after living here, even in comparison to tobacco states like Maryland, where I also lived for 3.5 years. Yet today, Boston has a complete smoking ban.
If they can do, we can do it.
Chris Johnson / Fulton
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