Smokers will have another two weeks to light up at their favorite establishments after the City Council referred a controversial proposal to its next meeting after nearly two hours of public input.
Dozens of Madison restaurant and bar owners arrived at the meeting to protest the ordinance, which would have banned smoking in such establishments altogether. Many said the first proposal was too cut and dry.
According to a new compromise proposal, smoking would be eliminated before 9 p.m. in establishments with 50 percent or less alcohol sales. This includes campus-area businesses like The Great Dane, 123 E. Doty St., and Angelic Brewing Company, 322 W. Johnson St.
Madison Mayor Sue Bauman and Alds. Gary Poulson, District 20, Jean MacCubbin, District 11, and Paul Van Rooy, District 18 spearheaded the measure, which will go into effect April 1, 2003 if passed at the next meeting.
Henry Doane, owner of the Orpheum Lobby Restaurant, 216 State St., and Tornado Club Steak House, 116 S. Hamilton St., said his businesses rely on late-night bar sales and would be significantly affected by the original wording.
\At the Orpheum this basically wipes out my entire bar business on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night,"" he said.
Besides the 9 p.m. rule, the council included exceptions, such as private parties at bars and establishments with separate ventilated rooms.
However, the new law would not resolve a big concern for anti-smoking advocates: how secondhand smoke affects bar and restaurant employees.
A coalition of health groups, including the University of Wisconsin Health Services, UW Hospital and Clinics and the UW Medical Foundation formed last week to show their support for the ban.
""Many UW-Madison students work in restaurants and bars,"" Kathy Poi, executive director of UW Health Services, said in an earlier statement. ""Students exposed to secondhand smoke are more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses.""
But many bar and restaurant owners said employees choose to work in a smoking establishment.
""Our staff doesn't have to work where there's smoke. They have plenty of options. I'm not sure we'll able to survive if this does pass,"" said Trent Kramer, owner of Vintage Spirits and Grill, 529 University Ave.
Amy Miller, a representative from UHS, disagreed.
""Many times students don't have a choice where to work because of their limited transportation options, irregular schedules, or the need for fast cash that tips provide,"" she said.
The smoking ban, however, got a thumbs up from UW Medical student Jason Ough, who spent his first several weeks of medical school examining a cadaver with smoker's lungs.
""It is nice to go to bars where it's not smoky,"" he said. ""It will take some getting used to, though.\
