Since the City Council enacted the smoking ban on Madison bars and restaurants, hundreds of hard-working people have lost countless hours, health benefits and their jobs. City Council members that know very little about running small businesses and have never needed to meet a payroll decided this ban was in the best interest of the industry worker.
Many negative effects of the ban discussed with council members fell on deaf ears. The impact on vendors that have lost their sources of revenue is clear. The spiral-down effect is in full motion for beer and liquor distributors, uniform and towel suppliers, and even janitorial companies that clean our bars daily and sell us supplies we need to operate each day. Let’s not leave out the lawn-care and service companies that keep our landscaping and grounds looking great. Bars across the city have stopped offering live music and karaoke, since customers that enjoyed this entertainment have gone outside the city limits to spend their money. Those are just a few of the places businesses look to cut first to offset sinking sales.
Many bars, such as Jordan’s Big Ten Pub, participated in programs that employ folks with special needs. These employees were some of the rewards that many of us as business people truly enjoyed as a way of giving back to society. Each and every one of us was saddened by the reality that they would be the first to go. Even more distressing was the look in their eyes of not understanding what they had done to lose their job.
As many of you are aware, the food and beverage industry participates in many fund-raising efforts throughout the year. It is clear to many organizations that have contacted us that donated funds will not be available and many groups will not receive the generosity of the past. This comes at a time when donations are needed as budgets continuously fall short. I encourage all bars and restaurants to refer calls to each and every one of the council members that has taken away their source of funding. We, as employees and investors, have given up as much as 20 to 60 percent of our income. I challenge each of you ban-voting council members to do the same.
The question we need to ask is what gives the City Council the right to take away a person’s ability to make a living in an industry that has been the backbone of this community. Hundreds of good, law-abiding citizens have been robbed of their incomes. This has caused hardship and left good people unable to make mortgage payments, send their kids to college, pay for daycare and buy groceries for their kids. Their incomes have dropped as much as 50 to 60 percent, and Lauren Cnare’s response was, “Why can’t they get a job at the bars outside city limits that are so busy?”
When Ald. Austin King was informed that sales were down 41 percent on a recent Friday Packer-game night compared to the same time last year, his response was, “It’s only a preseason game.” And one of the most disturbing developments came from Brenda Konkel, who thinks governing the people means kicking them when they’re down. This comes after a threat to the good employees of this industry who have said enough is enough and called City Council members to tell of their hardships and financial losses. What does Brenda Konkel do? Threatens them with lobby-law violations. Are these the kind of people we want running city government?
A great injustice has been handed down from a small group of council members who feel they have the right to destroy our livelihood. If they think we will roll over and move on, they are gravely mistaken. We believe in the freedom of choice and don’t need individuals telling us — adults very competent of making our own decisions — what is best for us. A few council members have stood up to embrace this industry and understand the importance of jobs and benefits that come from being employed in it. We need to show that we, too, can stand tall, make our own decisions and not be influenced by individuals with higher aspirations. Make the right choice and save hundreds of people’s livelihoods.
Joe Klinzing is the owner of South Bay Lounge and Grill.