Maduro Cigar Bar, 117 E. Main St., has seen business wane as a result of Madison's controversial smoking ban. And now, owner Brian Haltimer says the bar has one hope for survival.
Tonight, Madison's City Council will vote on a cigar-bar exemption to the city's smoking specifically designed for Maduro.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, is the exemption's lead sponsor. He said 12 council members have told him they will vote for the exemption, which would mean a victory for him and Maduro. However, he added that council members have suddenly pulled support for other measures in the past.
Ald. Austin King, District 8, is one of 10 co-sponsors of the proposal. He said tonight's bid is the third attempt at a cigar bar exemption in Madison. The most recent, in June 2005, received nine votes, two shy of passing.
I think we are at 11 votes now with the current proposal,\ King said. ""I'm hopeful this will pass tomorrow night so we can put this behind us.""
Haltimer said he has high hopes for the proposal to pass.
""If we get the exemption, which we have been fighting for for some time now, we certainly hope to see the return of a significant portion of our clientele,"" Haltimer said.
He added that the bar might be forced to shut down if the exemption does not pass. According to Haltimer, Maduro has lost over one-third of its business because of the ban.
However, the exemption has met with the opposition of anti-smoking groups in Madison. Gary Poulson, chairman of the Tobacco Free Dane County Coalition, said his group opposes the exemption.
""We did it based on concerns for health,"" Poulson said of his group's support of the smoking ban. ""That's the purpose of the smoke-free ordinance. We couldn't support an exemption that would allow the limited use of cigars in a cigar bar.""
Nick Andriacchi, local policy specialist for Smoke Free Wisconsin, voiced concern for the effects of the proposal. He said an exemption could pave the way for more smoky bars in the future.
""The amendment wouldn't specifically limit a cigar-bar exemption just to Maduro,"" Andriacchi said. ""I would hope that it would be as narrow as possible and not something that could be abused.""
Andriacchi added that employees and non-smoking patrons could suffer as a result of an exemption.
""Public health is public health,"" he said.
But King said an exemption to save Maduro does not threaten the smoking ban.
""I think all of us can agree that this common-sense exemption makes sense,"" King said.
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