A crowd of more than 60 residents and business owners jammed into a hearing room on the fourth floor of City Hall last night to register opposition to a proposed citywide smoking ban that would include all public spaces, restaurants and retail stores.
Another controversial measure that would reduce non-essential city employees to a 4-day workweek also attracted an audience, but rather than schedule a public hearing, councilors merely voted to refer the idea to the Law Department and the Personnel Committee for more information.
Ward 4 Councilor Richard Colucci introduced the plan as a way to address the city's current $19 million budget deficit for fiscal 2004.
The smoking ban proposal, filed by City Council President James Cowdell, wasn't even on the Ordinance Committee agenda, but that didn't stop angry smokers from voicing their opinions.
"What'll they tell us we can't do next? This is going too far," said Dexter Street resident Jean MacMullin. "When I go out drinking with my girlfriends, I like to have a cigarette. Hey, the kids aren't with me. I've paid for a babysitter. I want to go dancing and enjoy myself, and that means smoking a cigarette. If they ban smoking, pretty soon we'll all be out in the parking lot where the cops will think we're doing something bad."
Philip Gandolfo, whose brother owns the J.T. Shawmut restaurant on Boston Street, said the smoking ban is premature and would hurt business. "It deprives people who smoke of an outlet," he said.
Mary O'Brien, a non-smoker who owns the Boston Street Café on Boston Street, said 65 percent of her customers smoke. "This would really affect my business," she said. "This is serious especially because the economy is so bad."
Lorraine Clark, owner of the Blue Moon restaurant on Western Avenue, said eight-of-10 customers smoke in her establishment. "I don't think they'd go to the parking lot if there was a ban. I think they'd just disappear and I would go out of business," she said. "It would totally destroy my business and destroy the camaraderie of the people."
Clark said she and other bar owners provide a needed service to smokers. "We're there for them," she said. "I think this would be denying people their rights. If they're going to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, we should form a coalition that bans cigarettes from being sold anywhere in the city."
Jimmy Theodore, owner of the Blue Note Café on Washington Street and Hawk's Place on Buffum Street, said the smoking ban adopted in Salem has created hardships for restaurant owners in the Witch City. "They almost put Salem out of business by passing a smoke ban," he said. "I wish the (Lynn city officials) would tell the people what their tax rate will be like if this goes into affect. We pay a lot of taxes and give to a lot of causes. If we're gone, so is our tax dollars."
Theodore, a non-smoker, said smoke is an accepted part of the bar and restaurant trade.
Al Colucci, owner of Cronin's Café on Washington Street, said he has installed smoke-reducing devices on the ceiling of his game room. "I know what's happening in Salem because I have kids from Salem State College who come here now to play pool and smoke cigarettes."
Ward 7 Councilor and restaurant owner Richard Ford said he opposes the ban because most of his customers are smokers.
Cowdell said he proposed the ban because smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and contribute to heart disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has labeled cigarette smoking as carcinogenic and nicotine as an addictive drug.
The City Council's Ways and Means Committee voted to schedule a Feb. 11 public hearing before the Ordinance Committee to discuss the smoking ban. Peter McMahon, proprietor of Molly's Pub on Lewis Street, issued a prepared statement from the North Shore Citizens for Sensible Smoking Laws.
The organization supports freedom of choice and asks that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set air quality standards for taverns and other public areas. After all, not all establishments are alike, he said, noting some are fitted with high-powered ventilation systems and other "electronic smoke zappers."
