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Oct 5, 2006 7:34 pm US/Eastern
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Not Everyone Agrees With Smoking Ban
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Most people agree that second-hand smoke is not a good thing.
There is disagreement on what constitutes a level playing field when crafting a smoking ban.
In three months, smoking in Allegheny County's public buildings will be prohibited. The only current exception is once a month events by volunteer organizations like fire hall bingos.
"You got to recognize that there are two competing interests here - health, legitimate health concerns," said County Executive Dan Onorato. "But you also have small business concerns too and they're both legitimate - they're both important."
After signing the ban, Onorato put five amendments on the table for county council's consideration.
The amendments would repeal the rule that keeps smokers 15 feet from a building entrance.
It would also repeal the ban on smoking in or near health care facilities, exempt taverns doing less than 30 percent of revenues in food and exempt all volunteer organizations.
It also calls for a 12-month review of the ban's impact on businesses.
The tavern exemptions appear to be causing the most friction.
"You're going to create a very difficult situation," said Kevin Joyce, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association. "Who monitors what the requirement is - the county health department? Are they supposed to come in and look at your books?"
Joyce believes that Onorato is creating a double standard.
"It's just not the smart way to go," Joyce said. "We need a comprehensive ban for the entire state, but it should be exemption free."
County Council President Rich Fitzgerald told Onorato that he's committed to moving the amendments forward.
"This bill – the smoking ban - does not go into effect for 90 days," Fitzgerald said. "So we have until January to work out some of the kinks in this bill."
County council members will look at the Onorato amendments at their next meeting on Oct. 10.
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