This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Could this be up Alderman Steve Taylor's sleeve?
Yesterday in a blog about Franklin Alderman Steve Taylor’s proposed dog-leash ordinance, I wrote:
“It makes me wonder what other similar plans Taylor has in the works. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of his unnecessary proposals.”
I question if Alderman Taylor is poised to introduce a controversial proposal he did when he was an alderman in La Crosse. From the La Crosse Tribune, March 11, 1999:
" The proposed ordinance would ban smoking from restaurants with no alcohol sales or with no separately ventilated enclosed smoking room. Smoking would be allowed at a full service bar in a restaurant or a separate ventilated enclosed smoking room. Bars would be exempt from the ordinance.
Steve Taylor, 6th District La Crosse alderman, said he will introduce the ordinance at the April council meeting and the full council will consider the ordinance in May.
Taylor said he postponed introducing the ordinance at the March council meeting because he wanted to wait until after the spring elections.
He supports smoke-free dining simply because smoking is hazardous to one's health, and secondhand smoke is worse for customers and employees in a restaurant.
‘I look at this as a health issue,’ Taylor said. ‘I don't think this proposal is a matter or politics; only a matter of health.’
He said the ordinance is controversial, but it has a shot at being approved by the council. Taylor said he is influenced by the fact that his grandparents died of lung cancer.
‘I care about the well-being of the citizens of La Crosse, and this legislation is a step in the right direction,’ Taylor said. ‘I don't think you should be able to smoke in any public place.'
The local and state restaurant associations view the ordinance as unneeded, overregulation and restricting choice. Kirsten Van Horsen, president of the La Crosse area chapter of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, said whether restaurants are smoke-free should be left up to the individual owners.”
To be fair, Alderman Taylor hasn’t made any overtures that I’m aware of that he’s going to repeat in Franklin what he attempted in La Crosse. I certainly hope Alderman Taylor isn’t thinking about introducing this unnecessary, anti-business, over-regulating plan. If a private business wants to allow smoking on its premises, government should not intervene. This is also a property rights issue.
The last time Franklin considered a smoking ban, the idea was divisive and tore apart the community. The city doesn’t need to go through that again.
I cordially invite the alderman to comment here or to send me an e-mail to clarify if he so chooses.
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