Atlantic City backs smoking ban on 100 percent of casino floors
By MICHAEL CLARK Staff Writer, 609-272-7204
Published: Thursday, April 10, 2008
ATLANTIC CITY - Before a large crowd of supportive casino workers, union members and anti-smoking advocates, City Council unanimously backed amendments Wednesday that would outlaw smoking on 100 percent of casino floors.The amendments, which still must go through a second reading in two weeks, would ban smoking on all gaming floors and allow industry officials to erect enclosed, separately ventilated smoking rooms by Oct. 15. The rooms would not require personnel.A full ban was proposed in February 2007, but was watered down with amendments shortly afterward, allowing smoking on
25 percent of all casino floors in enclosed sections, while the remaining space would be smoke-free.But the casinos' slow effort to construct the enclosures angered smoking opponents and City Council, pushing Councilman Bruce Ward to spearhead an effort to move for a full ban. Subsequent discussions with casino officials and other councilmen led to a ban on the casino floor.Mayor Scott Evans, who was not present at Wednesday's meeting, would be responsible for signing the final bill into law and has publicly supported efforts to ban smoking.
The meeting began with what has become tradition at meetings in which the smoking ban is discussed, with smoking opponents chiming in to shout "and justice for all" at the end of the pledge of allegiance.The audience was filled with gaming workers, members of the American Cancer Society and the United Auto Workers Union, a group that recently threw its support behind a full smoking ban and has contributed to the effort's momentum."I'm curious to know what a life is worth these days," said Paula Cifelli, a dealer at Caesar's Atlantic City and a UAW member. "It's time to step up and do the right thing. The world is watching."Several other union members and anti-smoking advocates formed a line through the middle aisle of council chambers to comment. City Council, well aware of their own support of the measure, saw the lengthy line and moved to vote before others could express their support for the amendments."We were lobbied by so many people; individual casinos, then the association as a whole," Ward said. "This was not easy to get done, not easy for a unanimous decision."But Councilman Eugene Robinson, who co-sponsored the bill but gave much of the credit to Ward, said once you establish a majority of votes, the others are likely to fall in line.Some council members have said privately that their support for the amendments was driven by their anger with the casinos' perceived defiance of the original partial ban. Casino officials have contended the languid pace is common.But any frustration city officials felt did not keep them from providing the casinos more time to build employee-free smoking rooms than was originally planned.City Council had intended to give casinos 90 days from the bill's passage to erect the rooms. The casinos, in turn, formally requested that the city extend the deadline until Dec. 8, but City Council decided to change the deadline Wednesday to Oct. 15."We're compromising," Ward said. "No one will get what they want."Gaming representatives were not in attendance at Wednesday's meeting, but one voice publicly opposed the new ban."I thought this was America," said Jesse O. Kurtz, a local activist and spokesman for Smoker's Rights Association who called the city's vote a violation of civil liberties. "If the union's have a problem with it, they can bring it up at the collective bargaining table."City Council is expected to vote on the final reading of the amended ordinance April 23.To e-mail Michael Clark at The Press:Michael.Clark@pressofac.com
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