Months after the Madison City Council launched the controversial tobacco ban this summer, some bar owners say their business has been plummeting. The ban outlaws all forms of tobacco in public establishments, including chewing tobacco.
\My business has been down at least 30 percent,"" said Dave Wiganowsky, owner of Wiggie's, 1901 Aberg Ave. ""By implementing this ban, the city has kicked the spokes out of my wheel that I had spinning very nicely for 25 years.""
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said that although the city council approved the tobacco ban in April 2004, a lot of taverns did not realize their businesses would take such a dramatic hit financially.
""Now these businesses are scrambling to do what they can to make a living,"" Verveer said. ""We've had a lot of requests for outdoor areas where smoking is legal, and we've approved all of them so far.""
Dustin Bruecher, bartender at the Plaza Tavern and Grill Inc., 319 N. Henry St., said his bar and others cannot provide outdoor smoking areas.
""A lot of people are pissed off because drinking and smoking go hand in hand,"" he added.
Verveer added the City Council is trying to provide some relief to the taverns that have taken significant financial hits.
Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, already wrote and submitted a hardship clause to city officials which requires bar owners to show a 10 percent drop in revenues over the past three months compared to the past three years to earn a hardship exemption. Brandon is one of six alders to sponsor the language.
According to Verveer, taverns applying for the hardship clause would need a certified public accountant to swear that the 10 percent decline in gross revenue is the direct result of complying with this ordinance and not a result of other factors.
However, exemptions to the tobacco ban would be awarded only if a referendum takes place.
If approved by the city council, a referendum on April 4 would ask voters: ""Shall the city of Madison repeal its comprehensive smoking ban and allow smoking in taverns within the city?""
Although Mayor Dave Cieslewicz supports a hardship exemption, his spokesperson, George Twigg, said the smoking ban is a good public health policy and should remain in place.
""It's been a fairly even split between people who support and oppose the ban,"" he said.
Twigg added that it is too early to look at changing the law because there has not been enough time to see the real economic impact of the ordinance. However, he said, bars are complying with the ordinance.
""There have been minimal problems,"" Twigg said.
However, Wiganowsky said he hopes for a change in the law in the very near future.
""The city has taken our competitive edge away,"" he said. ""I don't have the opportunity to try and compete.""
