Gee who are you going to believe an antismoking Nazi in California or the local bar owners themselves
Lexington Bar Owners Say Smoking Ban Hurting Business"
Some bar owners in Lexington say the city's smoking ban is hurting their business.
They say alcohol sales are down 30 to 50 percent at some neighborhood pubs since the ban took effect on April 27th.
Supporters of the ban say this is a slow time for Lexington bars, as students at the University of Kentucky go home for summer break.
They say it's too soon to make any sweeping conclusions about the ban's effect on business.
Lexington restaurant owner and Vice Mayor Mike Scanlon has been one of the most vocal supporters of the smoking ban. He says the current slump is just a seasonal curve. He thinks people will adjust to the change.
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27 NEWSFIRST was in the courtroom Thursday as the attorney began laying the ground work for the business's defense.
It's pretty cut and dry. Several small Lexington bar owners say the city's smoking ban is hurting them financially, forcing some to layoff employees while others cut back on hours.
So, they've decided to let patrons light up and fight the ordinance in court.
Attorney Tucker Richardson is representing a handful of businesses recently cited for breaking Lexington's smoking ban. Those who were in court on this day call the ban unfair. Sharon Land with Caddyshack's Bar and Grill, "Our business has gone down at least 40-percent. I bartend on Sunday's and my customers have dropped off 75-percent."
There have been ten citations issued since the smoking ban went into affect April 27th. Five of them were issued against strip club Solid Platinum, which is leading the campaign to snuff out Lexington's smoking ban.
Attorney Tucker Richardson, "There just comes a time when you say 'jeez, leave us alone'. These guys have got lots of money tied up in their investment. All of a sudden, the city has taken 30-percent of their income. If I came in and said I'm taking 30-percent of your income away, what are you going to do about it?"
Not everyone is in favor of this movement. At least one business owner who came to court just to observe says businesses that allow smoking are hurting him.
Todd Johnson of Todd's Karaoke Bar and Grill, "We've lost customers to businesses that allow the patrons to smoke. They're coming back to us and telling us this."
The man charged with enforcing the new regulation, consumer protection director Steve Harris, says there's not much he can do to stop it other than to cite the businesses.
"The health department did not write the ordinance. The health department did not vote on it. The health department backed it because it's public health."
All the businesses in court today entered not gulty pleas and will be back in court next month.
Since Lexington's smoking ban went into effect, the Fayette County health department has received more than 150 complaints.
The attorney for Jackpot Bingo will be asking for a jury trial in that
This F'nKerry loser drops into all the anti-smoking info threads dumping his garbage with the sole purpose of stirring up crap!
You know who he is? Remember that little twerp who couldn't play sports because his mom thought he would get hurt, the twerp who was always running to the teacher to report you for something?
Or how about that guy in your community who is always at the board meetings complaining about something that he feels the zoning board in infringing on his rights?
Yep, thats the guy! All he does around these parts is stir up sh*t!
To quote my grandfather: "The only way to cure a butinski with an attitude is via an old fashioned ass whippin!".................
Internet anonymity allows the mouse to roar like a lion.....