Posted on 06/25/2005 9:41:53 AM PDT by SmithL
With a law barring smokers from lighting up in nearly all city-run open spaces in San Francisco scheduled to take effect next Friday, "No Smoking" signs have yet to be posted, raising questions about how well the ban will be enforced.
Six months ago, the Board of Supervisors passed what is believed to be the most comprehensive outdoor smoking ban in the country. The ban covers parks, squares, gardens and playing fields under city jurisdiction. First offenders could be slapped with a $100 fine issued by a police officer or member of the city's park patrol.
At the time the legislation was passed, city officials estimated that more than 1,000 signs might need to be posted at hundreds of locations around San Francisco. But so far, the Recreation and Park Department has not budgeted any funds for the new signs, according to Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who sponsored the legislation creating the ban.
And department officials conceded last week that they haven't even created a mock-up of a sign that would alert residents to the new ordinance.
"That's an outrage,'' Alioto-Pier said, adding that she had written Yomi Agunbiade, the department's acting general manager, a letter about the issue. "They're supposed to be implementing this next week. It's wholly irresponsible. "
The signs are important because city officials are hoping that peer pressure will do more than ticket-writing police officers can in curbing smoking -- and the littering of cigarette butts -- at city parks. But without the law clearly posted, civic-minded citizens might find it hard telling scofflaw smokers to "put it out."
"I think it's fair to say it's going to be a slow rollout,''
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I guess the pot heads get a pass.
Next will be the banning of "overweight people", to be followed immediately by people who just aren't cute enough. Man, and they call us nazi's.
commie/fascist/socialist/dums always think they have the RIGHT to tell other people what they can do and think.
Think again.
Who in their right mind 20 years ago would have thought anybody, city or state would ban outside smoking would have been considered a little on the wacko side
Get it? The nanny staters are running out of space for yet more signs telling everybody else what to do? Boo Hoo
Yeah, they preach about rights and sensitivities, yet they try to take them away in the next breath.
Their right to tell YOU how you are to live.
Thankfully they are around to tell me how to live or I'd just screw the whole thing up.
Can't smoke inside. Can't smoke outside. What are they going to do when people stop buying cigarettes and their (tax) revenue stream dries up??
Here in WI the state assembly just passed a state-wide smoking ban.
software creator? HUMMM an innovator/original thinker......man your the enemy to these rag tag little fascist.
I don't like to be around smokers. Personally, I think--are you ready for this?--smokers really need help.
But I also believe that every smoker in SF ought to gather down on Market and Van Ness and light up, then dare the
local authorities to do something about it. I'd even go down and stand with them, coughing and hacking, I admit.
Not trying to be sexist here, but all of these socialist ideas and nostrums have been getting traction since women have achieved equality, or near-equality, in public life -- and most of them seem to have women as their chief adherents and spokespeople. I'm genuinely curious: what is it about socialism that seems to appeal to this vast swath of women (our hyper-intelligent, stunning and witty FReeper women excluded, of course)? 'Tis a puzzlement to me (channeling Yul Brynner). Does freedom of the individual in American society mean nothing to them? Is it a matter of, "Now that I've got mine, I'm going to get rid of some of yours"?
Thank you in advance for enlightening me.
I am also a middle aged, above average income, white, male, Catholic, Patriotic, Conservate Right Wing Republican who doesn't hate smokers ...
Therefore, to them I am the enemy.
They just like the idea of government as Big Daddy, always taking care of them.
No madame supervisor - what is an outrage and totally irresponsible is the fact you introduced this idiocy in the first place .............
ALL admirable qualities.
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