[lockjaw02]

The best reporting in NY state

[lockjaw02]

(ping)

Ok, folks. We have two senators who voted for the ban on record as reconsidering. I'm writing them to say because they so grievously injured so many small business owners, now that they are coming to their senses, the only fair option left is to immediately de-fund all anti-smoking orgs and use the MSA money for grants or no interest loans to all business owners negatively affected by this stupid ban. I urge all NYers do the same. Let's flood em.

[TYVets]

"Brown, who initially voted in favor of the ban, said legislators were hoodwinked by ban supporters"

Surprise, liberals would lie to liberals ?

Just another dumb freaking politician !

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[CurlyDave]

"Some have suggested charging an administrative fee and allowing establishments to indicate with a sign whether they're a smoking or non-smoking establishment,"

Notice that a new tax is the solution to this problem, as is the case with every problem the legislature sees.

[Judith Anne]

Great article, great post.

This jumped out at me:

"I can tell you, this will be something members will be talking about amongst themselves," Brown said. "I think there's middle ground that can be found here so that we can safeguard people's health and not trample on people's liberties. We should allow people to make decisions on how to live their lives when it comes to legal products."

They should ALLOW us to make decisions on how to live our lives when it comes to legal products? THEY should ALLOW us????????

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....

[qam1]

And another take from an Assemblyman, One of the few good Republicans in the state who voted against it and many other Pataki and his 38 RINO'S socialist initiatives

http://www.pressrepublican.com/Archive/2004/01_2004/011820044.htm

Ortloff: Let business make smoking rules
By Joe LoTemplio Staff Writer

PLATTSBURGH — State Assemblyman Chris Ortloff is supporting a move to allow bars and restaurants to buy a license to allow smoking in their establishments.

Under the proposed bill, any business that has a liquor license may also apply for a license to permit smoking.

The license would cost $100 per year and would be granted without a review of a business’s financial records.

"This is not meant to be a revenue generator, but rather a means for someone to get back in the game if they want to, and they can do it by paying a nominal fee,’’ said Ortloff, who voted against the statewide smoking ban that went into effect last July.

Many bar owners have complained about the ban, saying they have lost business because of it. But recent surveys by the State Health Department show that business has actually improved for many bars and restaurants. (ßµ||§¶‡†)

Businesses can apply for a waiver to the smoking ban, but they have to provide detailed records to prove that they have been financially hurt.

Fewer than 1 percent of businesses have expressed interest in obtaining a waiver.

Ortloff said a smoking license would give bar owners, and patrons, a choice of whether they want smoking.

"As an American, I am free to choose whether or not I want to enter an establishment where smoking is permitted,’’ he said.

"A license system allows restaurant and bar owners to decide whether their establishment is smoke-free or not. It need not be government’s decision.’’

Bobby Hall, owner of Bobby’s Lounge on South Catherine Street in Plattsburgh, agrees.

"Government has no business telling people how to run their own businesses. I’m an adult; I can decide what’s best for me."

Hall said the license idea may work, but it still is another shot for bar owners.

"I’m surprised it would be that low ($100), but what other restrictions are they going to put on it?’’ he said.

Ortloff hopes the bill gets introduced into the State Legislature in the next few days.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

If Brown says, "I was led to believe.." one more time I'll puke. Hey moron, did you trouble yourself to do a bit of research on your own? Do you always make decisions based on one side of the issue? Did it occur to you to go to a few businesses yourself and get their take on it? Lazy, huh? Couldn't be bothered, huh? Perhaps those that elected you shouldn't be bothered to vote for people like you again.

[tdadams]

Late last winter, armed with spurious statistics, irrelevant comparisons and a strategy for sneaking the nation's strictest smoking ban through the state legislature

As I'm fond of saying, if you have a conclusion to support, somewhere there's a study to support it.

[tdadams]

Of course, it would have been nice to hear such reasonable voices emanating from Albany before the ban was passed in the first place.

Legislatures at both the state and federal level are failing in their duty to give the proper reading and consideration to new legislation. They hastily sign flawed legislation that's based on bad data, and known to infringe on individual and constitutional rights. Yet they shrug it off and say they'll fix the bugs later, long after the damage is done and mostly irreversible.

That's got to stop. Bad legislation should be rejected from the outset. It's incumbent upon those proposing legislation to write a clean bill to begin with, and incumbent upon legislators to refuse to accept a bill because maybe 80% of it is good. It's the other 20% that's taking us to hell.

[SheLion]

I just signed on. Let me read! I have a lot of catching up to do!!

[SheLion]

"It's like apples and oranges," Brown said of applying California's experience to New York. "They don't have the harsh weather we have, and people just aren't able to go out on a patio and smoke in the middle of winter here."

Poor baby!  It gets worse!  Try going outside in northern MAINE to smoke!  Here is what our "outside smoking decks" look like:

[Great Dane]

Well, well, well, is the government having second thoughts.. ?

[Glenn]

The important fact in this article is the 48 hour cycle it took to get the legislation passed. That's the latest trend. Pretend there is gridlock for six months then "suddenly" pass whatever legislation was cooked up.

The PA house did the same damn thing this year.

No public comment or opinion will be tolerated. You will be taxed. You will be controlled.

[Just another Joe]

'There's a problem with this and I've got a lot of unhappy constituents.'

Translation - Oh My GOD! These people might not vote for me and I'll have to get a REAL job where I actually work 50 weeks out of the year instead of the 26 weeks I semi-work now!

"I think there's middle ground that can be found here so that we can safeguard people's health and not trample on people's liberties.

Nice of him to think about that NOW after the liberty banning legislation has gone into effect.