03-29-16 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING MARCH 29, 2016 In terms of helping the businesses affected by the ordinance there will be support available for them including the extended implementation time to January 2nd 2017. Smoke Free St. Joe will provide four (4) scheduled marketing seminars, the administration will help with permitting for letting the bars invest in outdoor patios and the process will be as easy as possible, marketing support from American Lung Association and Smoke Free St. Joe in terms of social media promotion for any bars that might decide to go smoke free before the implementation date, as well as help with signage and education regarding the ordinance. One argument that has been heard is the case of the City of Elkhart and the possible negative effect the smoking ban had in Elkhart. Councilmember Ferlic asked that the Council not rely on any anecdotal evidence but instead rely on academic scientific research that looks into many different factors. Elkhart's smoking ban was passed immediately before the Great Recession and Elkhart had the third highest unemployment rate in the entire country during that time. If any sort of businesses suffered during that time period it clearly was for multiple reasons. At the time the ordinance was passed Elkhart was already seeing a decline in employment. Concerning the rebound of employment in Elkhart, Leisure & Hospitality employment levels are higher than they were when the ordinance was passed. Councilmember Ferlic cautioned the Council against viewing anecdotal evidence and instead look at the academic and peer reviewed studies. He provided the case of Plainfield IN which saw their food and beverage tax revenue grow despite the recession and town's ban on smoking in public places to show anyone can bring anecdotal evidence forward to tell the story they want. Councilmember Ferlic addressed the questions brought forward during the Health and Public Safety Committee. Regarding Elkhart it is important to note that correlation does not equal causation. Ice cream used to be thought to cause polio because there was a spike in polio for kids during the summer months. Now clearly polio is not caused by ice cream. This is an example of correlation does not equal causation. In South Bend during that time, even though the recession hit us less hard than Elkhart, bars and restaurants did close. Those bars and restaurants closed even though we currently allow smoke at those establishments. Regarding the questions on home offices and the impact of this ordinance on them. If a home is operating as a business and has employees and is open to the public then yes this ordinance would apply. If it is someone simply sitting inside their own home, working on a computer, running their own business this would not apply to them. There were claims that research has been debunked on economics and invalidated. For every one (1) study showing a potentially negative economic affect there are ten (10) studies saying the opposite. The CDC study cites twenty -two (22) different articles that back the position that these ordinances have no adverse effects economically. Regarding the question on whether this ordinance will affect the casino, any casino organized by the Pokagon Band would not be in the City of South Bend. It would be on sovereign land and the decisions for that land would be made by the Tribal Council. Councilmember Ferlic stated he has reached out to the tribal leaders many times and requested several meetings to encourage going smoke free as there are many casinos in the U.S. who don't allow smoking. He encourages them for the benefit of their workers and the people who enter their casino, if it is built, that it be smoke free. Councilmember Ferlic stated he received a checklist from Smoke Free St. Joe who reached out to every bar and affected establishment. He stated he personally called every single bar and retail establishment, he did not talk to some but he did leave a message when he could. It was a Saturday from noon on until he called each one. He stated he had several meetings with bar owners and always said he would be available to meet them. Some people have asked about possible exemptions for retail tobacco and vape shops. This ordinance is designed to promote public health to provide clean air to all public areas and all employees in South Bend. Exemptions for certain businesses would not be a way to advance public health. Yes some cities do exempt those establishments but some, like San Francisco, do not. If we are looking for this ordinance to reduce as many cancers as possible, as many cases of 4