Jack Ford wants council to study a ban on smoking in public places. I don't get it. Earlier this week, the mayor stood next to a consultant who said a "sin tax" should be used to pay for the new sports arena. The sin tax would be applied to alcohol and tobacco products. Ohio governor, Bob Taft, is thinking about adding more tax to cigarettes to help bring additional money into the state. So, we want tobacco users to help balance the state's budget and finance development in downtown Toledo, and as a reward, the smokers will be banned from smoking in public places. To me, this is wrong.
I hope that council actually does "study" the proposed ban. There could be business ramifications. Restaurants in cities with smoking bans have noticed a drop in business. Some conventions and conferences have moved away from cities with smoking bans.
Chicago is facing a similar issue and many businesses are fighting hard against the ban.
From the Blade article, "Mr. Ford told The Blade after his speech that he has already polled members of City Council and believes he has enough votes - including his tie-breaking vote, if necessary - to enact a ban on smoking in bars, taverns, restaurants, and some other public locations."
I've been a fan of the Bronze Boar since it opened two years ago. The upstairs is a cigar bar. If this ban goes into affect, I hope the Boar moves to a suburb that permits smoking, and I will follow. I will spend my dollars away from downtown, and I thought the idea was to get people to come to downtown Toledo.
How does a smoking ban help? With all the programs and ideas outlined in the mayor's speech Thursday evening, it seems a smoking ban would be extremely low on the priority list.
It appears some on council are concerned with the impact on business a smoking ban could cause.
If a smoking ban is implemented in Toledo, then there should not be any sin tax on tobacco products.
created Jan 18, 2003