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3/14/2008
Leadership on smoking ban? Not Hanna
Late last week, Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton appeared at The Bar on the Avenue in downtown Appleton, pitching a statewide smoking ban. Lawton was joined by Appleton’s mayor, Tim Hanna because Appleton of course, Madison, a Madison suburb (Shorewood Hills) and the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood, are the only places in the state that have in place 100% smoking bans (all indoor public places, including bars and restaurants).
Hanna is noted by the Post-Crescent last week as saying
…
legislators waiting for consensus on a smoking ban before approving a statewide act are waiting in vain. "There will not be consensus. This requires leadership," Hanna said. (Emphasis added by me.)
What a sham.
On December 1, 2004, Mayor Tim Hanna cast the deciding vote, breaking an 8-8 tie and defeating a resolution that would have ended smoking in all Appleton workplaces, including bars and restaurants.
According to the Post-Crescent at the time, “Hanna said his objective in voting against the ban was to lift the debate to a higher level. ‘I would have supported the amendments to make this a more regional issue. We live in a regional economy. Like it or not, it is regional. To do this one municipality at a time doesn’t make sense.’”
Lift the debate to a higher level? Give me a break. Like it or not, it’s all about testosterone – or lack thereof. One tough vote. No, my friend Tim Hanna, that surely wasn’t leadership.
Yes, it was a tough issue to get out in front on. Bar owners were screaming. Potential convention-goers were threatening to cancel. A piece of the city actually annexed to an adjoining city to be able to allow smoking in their restaurant and bar. And of course, smokers were not at all happy.
It was a tough time to be a leader. A tough time to take a stand on a very polarizing issue. Mayor Hanna, my friend, that’s whereof leaders are made. They get out in front based on convictions. And you failed the test.
Yup, your NO vote December 1, 2004 spurred referendum activities on several fronts, actually, leading to overwhelming approval of a full smoking ban on April 5, 2005. And yes, spurred lawsuits, cussing by bar owners and three referendums at three different elections.
And you didn’t take a side, didn’t get active in the April, 2004 vote or either of the two succeeding votes in which Tavern League members attempted to overturn the ban. You call that leadership?
I surely don’t.
COMMENTS
Great story, Jo.
Local politics...Gotta Love It!
Al (Fri Mar 14 06:01:39 2008)
Everyone is entitled to change their mind on an issue. A person who is not open-minded is referred to as dogmatic. So it would have been better of Mayor Hanna to not say that he endorses a statewide smoking ban?? What are we expecting of our leaders -- dogmatism? How about giving another human being a break, Jo!
Jim Perry (Fri Mar 14 21:16:54 2008)
I expect leadership on the front end. Not what's perceived as the safe choice. I expect leadership of leaders. I hope I'll always give a guy a break - when it's deserved. Leadership takes courage Jim. You've done it often. It takes bringing others around the table to fight (or strategize) for what one believes is right. What am I missing here?
Jo E. (Fri Mar 14 22:03:09)
Regardless of how Mayor Hanna voted, I think government has no place enacting any kind of a smoking ban.
I'm not sure why Republicans would want to go along with further intrusion by government into people's businesses and lives.
I quit the dirty habit about 16 years ago and am glad I did, but still see no legitimate reason for passing laws against legal substances. I should think there's plenty of room for no-smoking businesses and smoking businesses. I do think that the people who own them should be able to choose. People are not being forced to go into places in which smoking is allowed. If they go there it's because it's their choice.
C.R. Stevenson (Fri Mar 14 22:36:02 2008)
A recurring thought regarding Mayor Hanna's non-leadership on the smoking issue: Since his non-leadership credentials are clear here, where else might they be found if one only looks harder? And he's unopposed for re-election?
Bravo for your editorial calling the mayor's vote and followup comments of 2004 a "sham." But that was a bit kind. A better word is "gutless," which more accurately identifies Hanna's kowtowing to the neanderthal-types who still think that smoking is a harmless adult activity. It's not, Tim. It's a killer. And what part of the word "killer" don't you understand?
mcw (Sat Mar 15 21:43:31 2008)
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