Gov. Jim Doyle announced Tuesday he is open to exempting bars from his proposed statewide smoking ban, giving hope to legislators and bar owners still opposed to the Madison city ban against smoking in public establishments.
During his State of the State address, Doyle laid out his plan to crackdown on tobacco. ""I am calling for legislation to make all public buildings and workplaces completely smoke-free,"" Doyle said.
However, in recent weeks the governor has expressed more willingness to compromise with all sides of the issue, according to Mike Prentiss, spokesperson for state Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.
""[Doyle] publicly has not closed the door on compromise and has not closed the door on willing to sit down with other folks and see if there's a middle ground to be reached,"" Prentiss said. ""He's not saying ‘my way or the highway.'""
The idea of compromise raises questions of fairness for Madison bars. Madison is one of two Wisconsin cities under a complete public smoking ban. In the year and a half since its inception, one local bar owner said he has noticed a significant decrease in business.
""Sales have decreased significantly, over 25 percent,"" said Richard Lyshek, owner of Bullfeathers, 303 N. Henry St. He also said while some bars have had success with sidewalk cafAcs for their smoking patrons, some bars on the edges of Madison are actually going out of business because Madison suburbs do not have a smoking ban.
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said a statewide ban could help Madison bars.
""Some bar owners have lost customers to other communities that allow smoking,"" he said.
""However, it's important to remember other bars have done quite well because people like myself, who will not go into a smoke-filled establishment, now do patronize their establishments because we can enjoy a meal and a beer and the neighborhood company without having to inhale someone else's smoke,"" Black said.
Black also said Doyle may follow the model set by Madison for implementing the ban.
""Initially it was just restaurants, and it's possible he's pursuing a strategy of one step at a time.""
If the statewide ban goes into effect with bars exempted, Lyshek said he hopes Madison will reconsider allowing tobacco in bars.
""I'm hoping it'll make them reexamine the issue as to what is fair and more equitable because they're destroying and hurting the businesses within their territory,"" he said.
Prentiss said the issue comes down to the fact that ""for better or for worse, smoking is legal.""
""A business owner should be able to decide for themselves what legal behavior they want to permit in their place of business,"" Prentiss said. ""When you go to a bar, there's sort of a different expectation of what the environment you're going into is.""
