No smoking
You may have heard by now that St. Paul bar owners are dropping a push for a referendum on the city's smoking ban ordinance. The decision came after a judge ruled against the bar owners Friday in a challenge to the law.
Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association executive director Jim Farrell told Perry Finelli on Morning Edition today that the bar owners thought their chances of winning the referendum were 50-50. He arrived at 50 percent support for repealing the ordinace by adding what he said were about 25 percent of the people in St. Paul who never go to bars and the 25 percent who smoke. That seems like wishful thinking or fuzzy math.
A poll by smoking ban supporters of 500 St. Paul registered voters released last week found 60 percent support the ban strongly and 72 percent support it generally. Farrell says he hopes city officials will work with bar owners to cut them more slack on outdoor patios.
Bottom line--big win for anti-smoking groups and big loss for St. Paul bar owners.
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