NEWS
Cigar bar exemption prompts discussion
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by Heather Quitos
Thursday, March 23, 2006
A day after the Madison City Council approved a proposal allowing patrons to smoke cigars in designated establishments, reaction to the exemption has garnered mixed reaction among city officials.
Proposed by Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, the exemption to the city's smoking ban passed after three different proposals within the past year.
"We're happy with the outcome," said Brian Haltinner, owner of local Maduro Cigar Bar, said. "This [exemption] is as narrow as you can get."
According to the new amendment, places wishing to allow smoking of cigars and other tobacco products — except cigarettes — must submit an application proving at least 10 percent of their revenue comes from tobacco products.
According to Haltinner, nearly 15 percent of the establishment's revenue comes from tobacco sales.
George Twigg, communications director for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said while the mayor did not prefer an amendment to the smoking ban, the passed exemption is "fairly narrow" and will not necessarily create an influx of new cigar bars.
"There's a tougher verification process [to check revenue]," Twigg said. "The mayor would have preferred to see the law stand as is … [but] the fact that it passed isn't really the end of the world."
Haltinner said the application process will be a new experience to both the city and the establishment but said he believes the exemption was necessary as many cities with a smoking ban include cigar bar exemptions.
"It's a fair thing that if you have an exemption [to smoke cigars in] private clubs, there should be one for cigar bars," he said.
Although Gary Poulson, chair of the Tobacco Free Dane County Coalition, said the organization opposed the proposal, they are in favor of the city's process to check the tobacco sales of each establishment.
"Overall, we're disappointed that the smoke free ordinance that we worked so hard to get passed over a year ago has another exemption," he said. "[But] if there's a silver lining in this, there is a process to check the sales."
Poulson, who voiced his concerns at Tuesday's council meeting, worries the cigar bar exemption may create more exemption proposals in the smoking ban.
"I thought that if the council would allow one exemption, there will be more in the future, and alders will have to relive this discussion," he said.
Similarly, Twigg said the creation of a slippery slope with a cigar bar exemption was a concern for Cieslewicz.
"Part of the reason the mayor had mixed feelings is that there are a lot of other businesses that have been making the same arguments that Maduro has made," Twigg added. "Certainly, the way the bill was passed, other bars could seek to get an exemption, but it will be a fairly difficult hill to climb."
But according to Haltinner, the proposal will not create such exemptions in the future.
"I don't think this is further along the slope," he added. "This is something that should've been passed."
And with the assurance of the cigar bar exemption, Haltinner expressed optimism for the future of his business.
"We're just looking forward to getting our cigar business back and saving some of our clientele," he said.
