[C-U Smokefree] Today's Sun Times Smoke Free Chicago

[carlisle at soltec.net]

That sounds good to me. I would hope that Champaign-Urbana would adopt such an
ordinance, with phase-in period and perhaps hardship exemptions.  Currently, I
am boycotting Champaign locations to try to deprive the city of sales tax
revenue until the matter is decided.

George R. Carlisle



Quoting Kathy Drea <kdrea at lungil.org>:

>
> 	Chicago likely to OK indoor smoking ban
>
>
> 	September 30, 2005
>
> 	BY FRAN SPIELMAN <mailto:fspielman at suntimes.com>  City Hall
> Reporter
>
> 	Smoking would be banned next April 1 in restaurants, bars and
> virtually all of indoor Chicago under a groundbreaking ordinance
> expected to be approved by a City Council committee Wednesday,
> culminating a $1.5 million crusade by anti-smoking advocates.
>
> 	With several concessions -- but only a precious few to
> restaurants and bars -- Health Committee Chairman Ed Smith (28th) is
> forging ahead with a vote on the ordinance he championed. Sources said
> the alderman is confident he now has up to 11 of 14 votes in committee
> and well over 26 needed for full Council approval.
>
> 	Instead of demanding an immediate ban, Smith and a coalition of
> anti-smoking advocates led by the American Cancer Society have agreed to
> a six-month phase-in with an effective date of April 1 -- two weeks
> after St. Patrick's Day. Instead of banning smoking within 25 feet of
> building entrances, the protective ring would extend for just 10 feet to
> allow smoking at sidewalk cafes.
>
> 	Smoking would be permitted in public walkways and non-enclosed
> outdoor spaces like Millennium Park, Taste of Chicago and Navy Pier. And
> Chicago would follow New York's lead by creating a "hardship exemption"
> for restaurants and bars that have the gross receipts to prove sales
> have dropped by 15 percent after one smoke-free year.
>
> 	Those restaurants would qualify for a one-year "non-renewable"
> exemption when smoking would be permitted, but only if they create a
> designated smoking area composed of "no more than 25 percent" of the
> establishment's total square footage that's "physically separated" from
> all other areas with a "self-closing door."
>
> 	With those concessions, an anti-smoking bandwagon that gained
> steam following the lung cancer death of ABC News anchorman Peter
> Jennings and the lung cancer diagnosis of the widow of actor Christopher
> Reeve is now ready to roll out of the Health Committee.
>
> 	"We believe we have the votes," said a source close to the
> high-powered lobbying effort.
>
> 	Ald. Pat O'Connor (40th), Mayor Daley's unofficial City Council
> floor leader, agreed with that assessment. "I would give it a good
> chance of passing the City Council, based on previous head counts."
>
> 	This week, Daley talked once again about the search for a
> compromise that would exempt free-standing neighborhood bars and
> well-ventilated bars attached to restaurants. "You need compromise....
> It's a huge industry. It employs many people. Very significant here in
> Chicago. And we've worked very closely with them. We don't have to be
> antagonistic towards any industry," he said.
>
> 	Mayoral aides refused to say whether Daley would mount an effort
> to block the anti-smoking ordinance.
>
> 	'License to kill'
>
> 	Smith could not be reached for comment on his decision to spurn
> more dramatic concessions proposed by the restaurant industry.
>
> 	Last week, he denounced as a "license to kill" a proposal by
> downtown Ald. Burton F. Natarus (42nd) to allow restaurants, bars and
> bowling alleys to apply for a smoking license, with revenue -- $250 for
> every $500,000 in annual sales tax revenue reported -- earmarked for
> smoking cessation programs.
>
> 	Smith also rejected a suggestion from Ald. Tom Tunney (44th),
> owner of Ann Sather's Restaurants, for a restaurant-only smoking ban
> that would expire at 9 p.m., when patrons would be free to light up.
>
> 	Since 1994, Chicago restaurants have been required to designate
> at least 30 percent of their tables for nonsmokers. When their city
> licenses are renewed, they must declare themselves 30 percent
> smoke-free, 50 percent anti-smoking, or ban smoking entirely.
>
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