Letter to Senator About Smoking Ban

Dale Schultz Senator 17th Senate District Room 122 South State Capitol P. O. Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707-7882 Dear Mr. Schultz, My name is Juan Jimenez, I have been a citizen and active voter of Wisconsin for over 8 years now, and while I may not agree with some of the states past decisions, I do commend the job you and your colleagues have done. That being said, I am writing in regards to the public smoking ban that the state legislation committee is currently considering. I, and many others like me, do not support this proposed bill and I will tell you why. I do agree that a smoking ban is reasonable in some places. Between the age of most students and the declined health of hospital patients, it makes sense to ban smoking in the areas of schools and hospitals. I will also agree that smoking in a restaurant is something most everyone looks ill upon. Now bars, on the other hand, are a different story. According to taxpolicycenter. org, Wisconsin collects over 50 million dollars annually in alcohol tax revenues. Many of the bars that those taxes come from have a majority of patrons who enjoy smoking while they relax and have a drink. If they are no longer allowed to smoke in their local bar, they may just stay home, which results in lost income for local businesses, as well as, lost tax revenue for the state. As far as banning smoking in front of public building entrances, I agree due to the fact that people have to enter and exit through there. However, parking lots and parking garages offer a wide area of outdoor air and space. It’s not inconceivable that one who doesn’t want to smell smoke would quite easily be able to avoid such encounters. Having a mandatory smoking area a set distance from entrances makes sense. 1000 feet away, however, is an xtremely ridiculous proposal. Ultimately, this is about the freedom of choice and ones right to exercise that freedom. If smoking in public can be reasonably regulated, then non-smokers and smokers would be able to enjoy the same rights of choice. You, Mr. Schultz, as an elected official, must look out for all of your constituent’s freedoms. This c urrent government has far more important matters to focus time and energy toward, like our economy and the massive overspending that has become commonplace. I would like to see you take action against such frivolous rule making and vote no. Thank you for your support. Sincerely,