Is there streaming audio for the station Vicki McKenna is on? I wuld love to hear her.
I really feel for the Madison business owners, and the folks in general - they will learn the hard way this is just one more step in the WRONG direction.
Thanks for keeping us posted.
http://www.wiba.com/main.html
She's on at 2pm Central. She's terrific...and she'll be loaded for bear today. ;)
Another article on the ban at the same link above:
Smoking Ban Stands... For Now
Madison's smoking ban won't be repealed. On a 10-9 vote, aldermen this morning voted down a proposal to nix the ordinance that went into effect July first. The City council also rejected a call to put the measure to referendum. A third proposal...calling for a temporary exemption of the ban for bars hardest hit...was set aside for debate at a later date.
It's been an all night affair on the city council floor...as public health was pitted against economics in arguments both for and against Madison's smoking ban. Those in support cited national numbers on things like second hand smoke deaths.. while bar.. bowling alley and tavern owners turned to numbers on how much income they've lost since the ban went into effect....July 1.
Aldermen this morning are still debating proposals to put the ban to referendum, or offer bars hard hit financially...a temporary reprieve from the ordinance.
Madison's city council was up all night...thanks to the more than 100 people who spoke up both for and against the city's smoking ban..."Capitalism in free market does not mean no regulation at all. As a matter of fact...there are times when capitalism in free market don't work, and they are called market failures. And, these aren't liberal, or conservative, or anti business, or pro business.. this is just fact... this is economic fact."
A number of tavern owners also testified..."Now, I don't know anyone that has been ever been forced into my tavern to come and breathe second hand smoke. If you don't like smoke... don'to go to a tavern. I don't like strip clubs... I don't go... It's my choice." The council took comments until about 2:30 this morning...and then started debating the proposals to tweak the ban.
There were 101 registered speakers for and against the ban and another 250 who registered on paper. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz expected that kind of turnout. "I did... I suppose maybe we finished 2 or 3 hours later than I even thought we would, but it was to be expected. There's been a lot of passion... a lot of interest in this issue, and so I wasn't at all surprised at the number of people who showed up, or the passion of the debate." The mayor says the 5 a.m. adjournment is the longest council session he's experienced since being in office.