Posted on 08/26/2003 6:40:54 PM PDT by qam1
Customers go elsewhere as new rules take effect in restaurants, taverns
By Craig Webb Beacon Journal staff writer
At a place best known for its hot dogs, cold beer and cross-dressing M*A*S*H character Cpl. Max Klinger, something seemed oddly out of place on Monday.
For one, the bar area at Tony Packo's was almost completely empty during the typically busy noon rush.
And the number of ``no smoking'' signs -- one on every table and a large one at the entrance -- almost outnumbered the hot dog buns, autographed by notable visitors, that are nailed to the wall.
At 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Toledo became the first Ohio community to nip smoking in the butt inside all restaurants, bars and bowling alleys.
As a result, the mood among smokers and bar owners has become spicier than the pickles at the city's signature hot dog spot.
Jason Mandel, the general manager at Tony Packo's, said one regular customer came in Monday afternoon to order one last hot dog and announce he will now be dining in a neighboring suburb where his favorite dining companion -- a cigarette -- is welcome.
Another regular at the restaurant's bar, Mandel said, came in Sunday and made a similar pronouncement and left behind one last tip for the bartender -- $260.
``We will probably lose a lot of business,'' he said. ``But it's too early to tell how much.''
About the only smoke inside the Durty Bird Bar near the Toledo Mud Hens' downtown ballpark was the steam coming from its fuming owner's ears.
``I've been yelling all weekend,'' Alva Babcock Caple III said.
His anger over the ban, which survived a recent effort by tavern owners to gather enough signatures to put it up to a vote in November, has prompted him to take his fight to the streets and attach a large protest sign outside his building.
The rambling sign proclaims that all are welcome inside the smoke-free bar with the exception of the city's mayor and the City Council members who unanimously passed the ban.
``I might have pissed off a couple politicians,'' he said, looking at the large white sign.
For his part, Toledo Mayor Jack Ford is taking the criticism in stride.
Ford stands by his push to ban indoor smoking in public places, arguing it's unfair to expose others to secondhand smoke.
``If we curb secondhand smoke, we have helped out a lot,'' he said. ``I believe that when people get used to it in bars, restaurants and bowling alleys, it will eventually help business and people will enjoy the smoke-free environment.''
Baloney, said tavern owner Eric Trychel.
On the first day of the ban, Trychel saw the typical Sunday night take at his Korner Bar drop from about $300 to just $24.
``It's going to put this town out of business,'' he said. ``We're done.''
If the drop in business isn't bad enough, they argue the price of being caught letting someone smoke is even worse.
A first offense costs $600 for the bar's manager and server to attend a three-hour mandatory smoke-free workplace education session.
The next infraction costs $800 and all the bar's employees at work at the time of the offense must attend the training and be paid their regular salary for their time at the session.
A third infraction costs $1,000 and all employees of the bar or restaurant must be paid to attend the mandatory training. A fourth infraction could cost the business its liquor license.
As for the customers caught smoking, the city will fine them $100.
In addition to sending police officers and air-control inspectors to look for offending businesses, the city has also set up a hot line for residents to report those flicking their ashes at the ordinance. By Monday, a handful of snitches had already dialed the number.
``The city of Toledo can't stop people from smoking crack, but they do this,'' said Ted Grandowicz, owner of Scotty's Cafe. ``If I thought no smoking would have brought in a ton of business -- don't you think I would have done it myself?''
It doesn't appear any other Ohio communities are waiting in the wings to follow Toledo's lead. It's not even being discussed in Akron.
John Mahoney, deputy director of the Ohio Municipal League, a group that represents 815 of the state's 900 cities, said there have been unsuccessful attempts by county health departments, including Toledo's Lucas County and Columbus' Franklin County, to adopt similar smoking bans.
But Toledo, Mahoney said, is the first city in the state to adopt one that includes bars, restaurants and bowling alleys -- popular haunts for smokers.
``Is this issue at the top of every city's agenda?'' he said. ``I don't think so.''
This is another outrage against property rights and the right of free association!
One could even argue that it is a logical extesion of the War on Some Drugs.
Amazing, simply amazing. I guess they show slides of lungs of 80 year old smokers and try to pass them off as the lungs of 30 year olds that walked past an ashtray when they were 23?
Even more amazing when you consider that the "science" behind the "2nd-Hand" smoke is only exceeded in its bogus rating by global warming.
And if they choose jail time instead?
Say... 20 at a time?
200?
When The Government runs your business, Freedom is a fading thought. If business was so bad when it was all smokers, why is it worse without? Why does your kind of Nanny State lying, "Nonsmokers making up for the lose of smokers" sound so much like the "Wild West shootouts! Gunfights over parking spaces!" lies that Socialists like to spout when CCW comes up on a ballot?
Thats what all anti's claim, haven't seen it happening yet.
Banning smoking in bars.... isn't that kind of like barring heroin junkies from crack houses?
I don't know about that, but it does give them an excuse to "appropriate" billions in tax money for their favorite "anti-drug" causes.
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