Well, since you addressed me by name, Mr. Golben, let me respond - and assure you of the significant difference between Bush's "Mission Accomplished" � where nothing like that was true in Iraq at the time and hasn't been true since�and now-long-standing evidence in every other major city and state that have had the wisdom to pass smoking bans that economic concerns have not been an issue for bars and restaurants where smoking bans are in effect. But when a business goes down in the wake of a ban, they find it convenient to blame their failure on bans when lousy business management has actually been their downfall.
Consider this: 85% of all small businesses fail. If one or two bars die around the vicinity of a smoking ban going into effect, it may be convenient to blame the ban, but the far greater likelihood is that the business would have died either way. The proof is the increase in revenues and customers bars and restaurants now enjoy in New York, Boston, Miami, and all cities in California for starters and the praise even smokers are heaping on bans that create a clean air environment for their eating enjoyment. Some one hundred fifty bars in Ramsey County (76 in St. Paul) have received exemptions to the County's limited smoking ban. Looks to me like smokers will have plenty of places to go for their suicidal habit. The only sad reality is that workers will continue to suffer for the nicotine habit of their employers. If any one of them goes out of business during the brief period they'll be allowed to poison their own air, we'll know the truth about their bad management and the smokescreen their objections to a ban created while they were failing anyway. One other point here: I've never yet seen people abandon their favorite watering hole unless they've been kicked out somewhere along the way. People have more loyalty to their gathering places than to their smoking inside them. Why would anyone walk away from their neighborhood bar or other hangout when it's so much more convenient to step outside for their nicotine fix than to drive across town looking for another smoky room? They wouldn't and won't. The complaining drunk that made an ass of himself at the Tavern on Grand Thursday evening before a celebrating crowd of appreciative new customers certainly came back to his boozing bar rather than find a smoke-friendly alternative. This time he was kicked out, but it sent a major message to all of us: bitch bitch bitch all you like, but it won't affect the bottom line�and you know it. Andy Driscoll Crocus Hill/Ward 2 -- "Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity." - Lord Acton -- Visit our weblog: http://newswired.blogspot.com Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 15:03:00 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/1/05 7:43:42 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > minority-view lobbyists screaming like Chicken Little > at the prospect of customers departing for poison air elsewhere Andy, Wisdom dictates that one should allow sufficient enough time before declaring economic concerns to be of no value. You're no different here, than a Republican president declaring "Mission Accomplished". Myke P. Golben Battle Creek ------------------------------------------------- JOIN the St. Paul Issues Forum TODAY: http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ ------------------------------------------------- POST MESSAGES HERE: [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/
