Guy Western writes, "I'm not as quick to join in the Sell-out Chorus. Mayor Kelly says he's vetoing this in favor of taking a regional approach. If he's not just blowing smoke, that would mean reducing the health risk for a significantly larger number of people . . ."
If Guy is correct, then we will see Mayor Kelly or Denny Flaherty go before the Ramsey County Board, and possibly the Hennepin County Board and the State Legislature to ask for County-wide or state wide smoking bans. But I will wager that will never happen. My bet is that Kelly is simply once again mouthing rationalizations for supporting big business over the average guy. I did not understand Kelly's willingness to back big tobacco and the bars on this issue, until I read the PP today and saw the connection to the stadium. http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/8996952.htm?1c Kelly needs his 3% bar and restaurant tax to fund his beloved Twins stadium. If he doesn't make kissy-face with the bar owners on the smoking issue, they will not support his bar and restaurant tax to build a new stadium. I suspect his veto is not so much about the actual smoking issue, as his attempts to keep the stadium issue alive in St Paul. As Charles Sinkler, the owner of Fabulous Fern's said, "If this thing passes, the stadium is a dead issue". I bet a beer with anyone here, that by the end of the summer no one in Kelly's administration will have approached the Ramsey County Board for a "regional solution". Dan Dobson Summit Hill - Saint Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
