Sioux City Drops Proposed Casino Smoking Ban
In Iowa, as reported here previously, Sioux City councilmen were considering a city ordinance that would ban smoking at the town's casino, overriding an exception built into the state's new smoking ban in public places. The local proposal was championed by councilman Brett Hoffman.
Friday, the mayor and two other councilman spoke out against any local law, and a third councilman recused himself from a possible vote due to potential confklict of interest, effectively killing the plan before it really got started.
Mayor Mike Hobart wanted to avoid a losing court battle, which he foresaw as a result of any attempt to supersede the new state law, which specifically exempts the state's 17 licensed casinos when it goes into effect July 1st.
Aaron Rochester said he had never supported the idea of a local ban, and would vote against one if it were brought before the council.
Perhaps the predominant point was made by Kees Eder, general manager of the Argosy Casino, who promised to maintain the highest standards in air filtration and provide plenty of non-smoking areas within the casino, rendering the need for a new resolution moot.
Councilman Jim Rixner cited Eder's cooperation in noting the lack of necessity for Hoffman's plan, and Hoffman himself withdrew his proposal, saying ``I'd like to commend Argosy's management for their efforts to meet the goals of the state law without a government mandate."
The solution seems so simple, one wonders why non-smokers feel so strongly about enforcing their will upon the liberties of others when compromise can keep all parties relatively satisfied.
