Posted on 12/18/2002 4:31:05 PM PST by SheLion
NEW YORK, Dec 18 - New Yorkers, say goodbye to the smoke-filled saloon.
The City Council on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed one of the country's toughest anti-smoking bills, outlawing smoking in virtually all workplaces, including bars, nightclubs and restaurants. The most populous U.S. city would join California and Delaware in adopting sweeping curbs on smoking in public.
"This is an important protection for employees and a quality of life improvement for all New Yorkers," City Council Speaker Gifford Miller said.
The bill will become law 90 days after it is signed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an ex-smoker who over the summer proposed tightening the city's smoking ban.
The measure will expand a 1995 city law that banned lighting up in restaurants with more than 35 seats. It offers only a few concessions to businesses, despite complaints that the new restrictions will drive away customers.
"It's a disgrace that they voted against our businesses and against our families," said Ciaran Staunton, owner of O'Neill's, a midtown Manhattan restaurant and bar.
Passage was widely expected after Bloomberg and the council leadership reached a compromise last week.
Exceptions include allowing smoking in portions of outdoor cafes, rooftop restaurants and some private clubs without employees. A handful of existing cigar bars will be allowed to continue to permit smoking. Existing bars may also build ventilated "smoking" rooms.
"It would have been better to pass a total ban than what they wound up with," said Chuck Hunt, executive vice president of the New York State Restaurant Association, which represents about 2,500 city restaurants. "Any exception creates an unlevel playing field."
The council said the bill was aimed at protecting employees in every workplace from being exposed to cigarette smoke on the job.
A spokesman for Philip Morris USA, the domestic tobacco division of Philip Morris Cos. Inc. said the company opposed the measure and would have to study how it would affect smoking policies at its Manhattan offices. The company's offices have designated smoking and non-smoking areas.
"We'll take a look at our own office situation and determine what changes need to be made to bring our particular building into compliance," spokesman Brendan McCormick said.
In another move to improve "quality of life," the council passed a bill to curb cellular phone use during movies, plays and other public performances, excluding sporting events.
The legislation is believed to be the first in the country to ban talking on mobile phones or using the audible ringer on the devices while a performance is under way. The mayor's office has said the bill appears unenforceable, and that there is a chance Bloomberg will veto it.
This sure is disgusting. Didn't any of the bar/restaurant owners show up for this meeting? I sure wonder.......
Intro: What might really crush nightlife is Mayor Bloomberg's anti-smoking bill—which would ban cigs in any club or bar. As Robert Bookman, the lawyer for the New York Nightlife Association points out, if you think neighbors are in a tiff over noisy bars and drunken revelers now, what's going to happen when a few thousand soused nightcrawlers converge on the city's sidewalks to puff away?
"It runs counterintuitive to the Silent Night proposal," says Bookman, referring to the mayor's new plan to quiet New York's main drags. "If you want to keep streets quiet, the last thing you want to do is turn them into smoking halls." . .
Bookman pooh-poohs those who say that the smoking ban in California didn't negatively affect the industry: "California is not New York City. We don't have big bars with parking lots and nice weather. We have small places with residents right next door."
They know how to restore it the problem is 90% (and that's a low estimate) of people don't want to take a little time out of their self absorbed life to do anything about it.
If just 10% of the bar/resturant owners/employees showed up they would have driven the antismoking nazis into the Hudson
It is Apathy that is and will destroy this country
I just can't understand the bar/restaurant owners letting them get away with this. I just shake my head......
There is another factor in California bars close up at 1:30am with everybody out by 2:00am and in some places it is 12:30/1:00am.
New York is the City that Never sleeps. Bars are typically open past 4:00am
There is a big difference in groups of people hanging out at midnight & 3:00 am
People have a tendency to just turn their heads until it hits THEM in the pocket book. You watch, 4-6 months down the line after the ban goes into effect, we will be reading about the woes of the industry. Lack of revenue. You watch.
We see it all the time. All over the U.S.
They were probably thinking "This can't happen to us."
Then, when they find out it HAS happened to them, it's probably too late.
It didn't matter, SheLion. This was just a formality to rubber-stamp the pre-determined travesty. Miller never intended to give our side an actual hearing, this whole theater of the absurd was no more than Gifford Miller showing Bloominidiot how much power he wields in the council. We've pretty much established now that they're either kings or gods...depending on which of them you ask.
You got to admit, it wasn't for lack of us trying. I sent countless letters, as well as you and several others. I have Gerald Miller's emails still in my box. He's a two-faced idiot, as well.
They made up their minds long ago.
Oh the fix was in a long time ago. Miller onnly pretended to have reservations because he wanted Bloomberg to go along with a wage increase for union members of city contractors.
Bloomberg is a lowlife, He fought with vigor raises for Police, Firemen and Transit workers claiming budget woes but quickly went along with raises for union members.
Then maybe it's time for them to have the 'royal sceptor' stuck up their . . shoved up their . . presented to them in some meaningful way.
I read where he even wanted to close fire stations and police stations. This man needs to be removed from office.
Thank God for New Jersey! New Jersey here they come!!
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