Being good little serfs and boot lickers will get you everywhere.
< /sarcasm >
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.''
Being good little serfs and boot lickers will get you everywhere.
< /sarcasm >
I guess that is why the Libertarians come to CA to recruit new members.
Mr. Ford needs his ass kicked.
Just a suggestion, anyway.
L
Mr. Ford also needs to check his dictionary for the definition of a public place!!!
You're right, of course, but I'd still love to go to NYC and blow smoke in Mayor Bloomberg's face. Just for the sheer fun of it.
Not.
My guess is that its the restaurant owners. You haven't figured out that the major thrust behind these bans are the restaurants themselves, have you ?
Good try, minnie, but no cigar.
The restaurants in every area have been against these bans until some sort of partial ban is passed, then the political meatballs that run the Restaurant Associations start crying for "a level playing field."
Don't these dumbbells realize that when you play ball with the gub'mint, they stick the bat up your a$$?
I guess that is why the Libertarians come to CA to recruit new members.
The syntax (as opposed to sin tax) of your statement is incorrect if you do not live in CA.
So you either have recently moved from FL to CA or are challenged in your ability to properly structure a sentence.
If you still live in FL, the proper way to have written that sentence would be:
I guess that is why the Libertarians go to CA to recruit new members.
The signed hotdogs are made of plastic, including the bun.
Is that why there is the sudden push to normalize homosexuality?
Have you sat down with any of the restaurant owners who have changed their positions about these bans to find out why they now support them?
I may be wrong, but I seriously doubt you have.
I have.
It's not so much the individual restaurants, particularly the small independent ones, that are backing these bans, but the restaurant associations and the chain restaurants.
The associations because they are being bribed with contributions from the proponents of the bans and the chains because they can afford to take the hit when business drops. The chains just sit back and wait until the independents have to shut down and then they have the monopoly in the community.
Years ago, when these proposals first started surfacing, they may have been based on health concerns - but now it is only money and control.
Is this pain normal?
I have NO idea!
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