“Here in Wisconsin, we have a patchwork of smokefree regulations, as dozens of municipalities go one way as their neighbors go another. Wisconsin restaurant and tavern owners deserve a level playing field that keeps people safe.”
-- Governor Jim Doyle, Press Release, January 22, 2008
A level playing field that will help them go out of business.
The government has no business involving themselves in this issue. Regarding smoking bans, Charles Gerena of the Richmond Federal Reserve, "[i]n general, economists are wary of restricting choices on where people eat, work, or live in the absence of a clear market failure. Instead of imposing a ban, economists argue, governments should let the markets settle the matter."
We here at Ban the Ban Wisconsin have found countless articles and studies on the harmful economic affects of smoking bans. As one of the remaining states to pass a statewide smoking ban, we are able to watch and see what happens economically in other states - and even countries, like the UK and Ireland.
However, we must also keep in mind that Wisconsin is home to La Crosse, a city that has found its way into the Guiness Book of World Records for having the most bars per capita than any city in the world. Bars and taverns are an integral part of Wisconsin’s economic infrastructure - especially in small towns, where the local taverns are a place for friends to gather and catch up after a long week of work. If a smoking ban is passed, thousands of people will likely be unemployed, and small business owners will begin shutting their doors - for good. Remember, this is our community at stake here.
Please feel free to peruse the following articles and studies and share them with your friends, bartender, legislator, neighbors... Anybody who will listen and who cares.
BtBWI's Research
"The tavern has long been a fixture in Wisconsin communities. Wisconsin has had a large number of 'Mom and Pop' taverns where folks gather in a friendly environment for food and drink. Taverns span all socioeconomic groups and exist everywhere from small, northwoods towns to urban neighborhoods. Although faced with increasing competition and diminishing numbers, taverns still command a presence in Wisconsin's cultural landscape."
-- From Icon Wisconsin
"To the Editor:
It’s hard to believe that six months have gone by since the smoking ban. As a bar owner in town, many of our customers are driving across the bridge and spending their money in Wisconsin.
Citizens for a Smoke-Free Goodhue County should consider supporting the businesses they have put at risk and celebrate at our bars and taverns. I’m sure many of us have on open barstool for you to sit at."
-- Andrea Lundebrek, Red Wing, MN