Citizens wait to voice their opinions to the city council on the proposed San Antonio smoking ban. Photo Credit: Eileen Pace (TPR)
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The city council committee considering the proposed smoking ban heard dozens of passionate pleas on both sides of the issue on Monday. Texas Public Radio’s Eileen Pace has the story.
August 10, 2010 · The proposed ordinance targets bars, bingo and billiard facilities, comedy clubs, restaurants and other indoor public places. Exempted are outdoor patios at restaurants, existing private clubs such as VFW halls, and tobacco stores.
Mike Patton, who represents bars opposed to the ordinance, said enforcement will be problematic.
“I don’t want police coming into my bar and giving out tickets because somebody smoked. The bartenders are going to have to enforce this, but that’s not easy because when they do it, they don’t get their tips,” Patton said.
But speakers at Monday’s meeting of the Quality of Life committee were overwhelmingly in favor of the stricter ordinance, including entertainers like singer Ken Slavin, who performs at some of the same bars that are protesting the ordinance.
“I have suffered from repeated bouts of bronchitis in places I’ve performed. And I’ve had to stop performing in certain clubs because I simply could not handle the smoke,” Slavin said.
Angie McClure brought her teenaged daughter, Bailey, to make her point.
“I’m here to speak from my heart and ask you to look at my daughter, inflicted with lung disease, and tell her and show her that her life is more valuable than the smoker’s right to pollute the air, McClure said. “I am here to implore you to look at the basic argument and the simple solution to ask the smoker to simply step outside. Please, show the 80 percent of San Antonians that you care about their health and well-being and their choice not to smoke. Show them, show my daughter, that her right to breathe clean air supersedes the right to smoke.”
The committee voted 2-to-1 in favor of sending the revised ordinance to council for a full vote. Councilwoman Jennifer Ramos dissented, saying the law will hurt small bar businesses. |
