We will be eternally grateful to Mayor Rybak for not forcing this to a veto vote and for recognizing that no division really exists between bars and restaurants; they're pretty much what they want to call themselves, anyway.
I can understand a delay in implementation, but March of 2005? Ridiculously long. Much damage to many people will happen between now and then. As for us advocates, we and the 80% who don't patronize these bars and restaurants now will be happy to patronize many of those who allow smoking. But think about this: why would we urge friends and family to patronize such businesses before that? Moreover, their patrons aren't going anywhere. Except outdoors to smoke. If any of these places suffers more than a 5% drop in customer base (not revenues), I'll eat my hat. Bar faithful will stay faithful because it's their watering hole, not their smoking hole. Congratulations to St. Paul for setting the pace, to Bloomington for not amending reason out of their ordinance and to Minneapolis for laying the widest foundation for a statewide ban. It will be interesting to see if St. Paul now clings to its "smoking room" idiocy, now that they need not. No one but no one wants the smoking room option anymore. Hooray for all on passage. Boo on the start date. Andy Driscoll Crocus Hill/Ward 2 Saint Paul ------ on 7/20/04 3:20 PM, List manager wrote: > From a media release from the mayor's office. This means the measure > needs 7 votes to pass, not a veto-proof 9: > > Rybak to Support Smoking Task Force Recommendation > Recommendation bans smoking in bars and restaurants March 31, �05 > > Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will support the recommendations of the > Smoking Task Force to ban smoking in bars and restaurants starting on > March 31, 2005. The Mayor has pledged to sign the ordinance, which is > expected to be voted on by the City Council this Friday, June 23. > > ��I�m proud of Minneapolis for dealing this in a thoughtful way by > bringing everyone � advocates, policy makers and the hospitality > industry -- to the table. While the solution may not be everyone�s > first choice, it is clear and simple, workable for the city to enforce > and fair for all businesses. It also gives business owners time to > adjust. I hope we�re showing that you can make progress by bringing > everyone to the table.� Mayor Rybak said. > > Mayor Rybak had asked the Task Force to look into the possibility of > having restaurants go first with a ban this fall, with bars to follow > later. However, because of the way Minneapolis licences establishments, > there was no clear line between the two and it proved difficult to > implement. The Mayor supports the task force�s recommendation that the > city implement the ban in both types of establishments at the later > date proposed in March. > > �The most important step now is to continue our work with our partners > at Hennepin County to pass a county-wide ban to take effect at the > same time. A regional ban would be more effective and would not put our > local businesses at a competitive disadvantage,� Mayor Rybak said. > > The Mayor has also urged the advocacy community to help the hospitality > industry through this transition. > > �In return for helping to pass this, I am strongly urging the advocacy > community to use their tremendous grassroots organizing skills to put > together an aggressive marketing campaign to turn out new customers �to > replace the ones that will be lost in transition,� Mayor Rybak said. > > ### > > Forwarded by David Brauer > List manager > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
