Sheboygan County says NO to ban
Community Conversations: Let businesses set own rules on smoking
April 22, 2007
By Wally Hanna
By Wally Hanna
That I am a smoker is not relevant to my position on this issue: I am not opposed to banning smoking in public places (other than on sidewalks and open air venues of any nature).
I am opposed to blanket laws that remove private business owners’ right to operate their establishment according to their own choice on this matter.
All taverns and eating establishments now set their own policies in permitting or prohibiting smoking — either entirely or in designated areas only. That system works well. Patrons have the freedom of choice whether or not to patronize establishments based on many criteria and personal preferences.
Likewise, employees have the same freedom of choice whether to work or not work for an establishment that permits or prohibits consumption of alcohol or smoking. No one is ever forced to be subject to or exposed to second-hand smoke.
The government nanny is pervasively and constantly intruding upon everyone’s lives, not just on a mission to encourage, but to ultimately force us to “do the right thing.” In the case of smoking, our elected governments are busily crafting yet another prohibition protecting yet one more screaming “potentially harmed” group from a “harm” alleged to be caused by another group.
Have each of us been determined to be so incapable of personal choice and decision that we have abdicated to “nanny” the role of making personal decisions for us, backed up by legal prohibitions and enforcement?
Lengthy arguments have been presented for years by both sides of the smoking issue on matters of personal health, health- care costs, economics, business sustainability, tourism and more. What’s been ignored over and ignored in the argument is the upholding of freedom of choice and individual decision.
That is being taken away from all of us issue by issue, bit by bit.
The federal government has stayed out of the smoking dust-up, leaving decisions to states. States should stay out of this issue, leaving it to local decision. Local decisions should be based on fair reason and respect for freedom of choice, not a knee-jerk reaction in response to the pressuring noise level of special interest groups pushing their position on the rest of us.
Given the imbalance of influence between the attackers and the attacked in this matter of smoking, the party that makes the most noise and gets most in the face of elected representatives usually prevails. It’s then always easier for government to say “ban” than to take the heat to vote “permit” on any controversial proposition.
Therefore, I make two proposals to even the balance:
Permit. Local government now licenses establishments to serve alcohol. If you believe government must absolutely restrict yet another personal freedom of choice, then enact requirement for a fee permit for all business establishments to allow smoking in two levels of permission: full establishment and restricted area.
Under this everyone wins. Non-smokers and government can be assured that establishments are sufficiently penalized for allowing their patrons to smoke; government gains revenue to promote anti-smoking initiatives; non-smokers and employees still have a choice to patronize or not; smokers continue to be allowed smoke, albeit at a higher drink price with the permit fee passed on to the smoker; taverns and restaurants stay in business and continue to derive their historic bulk of revenue from alcohol sales.
Vote. After collection of sufficient qualifying signatures, put the full no-smoking ban to citizen referendum vote at whatever next election.
Sheboygan gambling was put to a vote. Replacement of our mayor, fortunately, never got on the ballot, but would have thankfully lost upon vote.
A ballot vote gives each side sufficient opportunity to mount a campaign to promote and defend their positions.
People get the government they elect and the laws our representatives decide to enact. We do have input in how they decide, but only if we participate.
Wally Hanna, who is no relation to Sheboygan Ald. Mark Hanna, works as an independent consultant. He moved to Sheboygan from Chicago three years ago.
Board votes down smoking ban
December 20, 2006
By a 17-15 vote, Sheboygan County Board Supervisors on Tuesday night defeated an ordinance that would have banned smoking within 25 feet of county-owned buildings and inside county-owned health care facilities.
Supervisor Roger Otten said the health hazard of second-hand smoke was the motive behind the proposed ordinance, which would have gone into effect April 1.
“We’ve received a lot of publicity in regard to what second-hand smoke can do,” Otten said. “I’ve heard many people say it’s very annoying when they enter a building to find people smoking right at the entrance to the building.”
Supervisor Michael Ogea, who voted against the measure, said he would have supported it if there were too many cigarette butts outside the building or if smokers blocked access to the building.
“Are we going to ban trans fatty acids or Coca-Cola next?” Ogea said. “Outside the building is open air. It seems like a ridiculous piece of legislation to me.”
