Boy, I had to laugh when I saw this on the front page of the Gargoyle today;
A group of liquor establishment owners took out a petition Tuesday to force the newly signed smoking ban to a public vote in 2010.
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Don Rose, co-owner of Shenanigan’s Pub in Sioux Falls, is one of four people listed on the petition. Others are Mark O’Neill, Licensed Beverage Dealers of South Dakota president from Henry; Pete Thompson of Tinner’s Bar and Grill and Tommy Jacks in Sioux Falls; and Mike Trucano of Deadwood.
Baahahahahahaha! Even if! Even if they get enough signatures the vote will go down in flames at least 70/30. Instead of wasting their time on a foolish effort they ought to get together and devise a way to attract new non-smoking customers. If I were a bar owner, I would eliminate smoking a month before the ban goes into affect to get a jump start on the new non-smoking clientele. I am amazed at how fearful business owners in this state are of change.
The group would need to collect 16,776 valid signatures by June 29. If successful, that will stop the smoking ban from taking effect July 1 and give bar owners 16 months to allow smoking in their establishments.
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If enough signatures are obtained, then state residents would vote on the ban in November 2010.
They will have to hire petitioners, or even buy signatures, because there is no way they will be able to get enough volunteers willing to ask for petition signatures to keep something legal that kills people. “Yeah, will you sign my petition, so bar owners can continue to have the right to poison their clientele and employees?”
An attempt to reach Larry Mann, who is assisting the coalition with the petition process, was unsuccessful Tuesday night.
He was out drinking and smoking I guess.
Shenanigan’s owner Rose said that one exception benefits only Tim Kant, owner of Stogeez cigar bar in Sioux Falls. His bar will be allowed to have smoking.
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“Now we have a monopoly, and his (liquor) license is more valuable than mine,” Rose said.
Because Mr. Rose, what Timmy wants – he gets. I suggest you tell the legislature to close the loophole next year. Trust me, we will be monitoring Mr. Kant and his supposed ‘Cigar Only’ policy.