MICHAEL MEISINGER

Tucsonan Biff Rose takes a cigarette break from his job at the Coffee Plantation, 845 E. University Blvd. The Pima County Board of Supervisors will vote today on a proposal to ban smoking from restaurants, including restaurant-bars that get more than half of their revenue from alcohol.

Tuesday October 9, 2001

Smoking ban would expand current Tucson ordinance

The Pima County Board of Supervisors will vote today on a proposal to ban smoking at county restaurants, including restaurant-bars where more than half the establishment's sales come from alcohol.

The restrictions would place regulations on restaurants in not within Tucson's city limits and strengthen restrictions already in place for Tucson establishments. Under Tucson's smoking ban, bars are exempt unless at least 50 percent of their profits are generated by food sales.

The ordinance would require restaurants to be smoke-free unless independently ventilated areas are designated. The smoking sections could also be outside if they are at least 15 feet from the entrance to the establishment.

Courtney Altobello, a manager at Gentle Ben's Brewing Company, 865 E. University Blvd., said the bar would probably fall under the county's regulations and many of its patrons smoke.

She said the establishment might lose some business if the ordinance did pass, but she said some don't like the smoke.

"We may attract more non-smokers who don't like others smoking around them," Altobello said.

Joanne Schneider, owner of Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, 1730 E. Speedway Blvd., said she did away with smoking in her restaurant in the 1980s ecause of complaints from customers and employees.

She said she saw an improvement in the health of her employees, who were calling in sick and felt covered in cigarette smoke after working in the smoke-filled atmosphere for hours at a time.

Schneider still has an outdoor smoking area for those who choose to smoke, but it would only have to be moved a couple feet to comply with the possible ban.

She said the decision to ban smoking should be up to the owners and the customers of the establishment.

Chris Fox, a finance and economics junior and smoker, said he might be less likely to go to a bar if he could not smoke.

"I think banning smoking in restaurants is OK," he said. "Banning in bars is going a little too far."

Businesses who report a reduction in sales of more than 15 percent for two months compared with the previous year would be eligible for an exemption, if the proposal does pass.

The smoking ban has been tabled by the board twice over the past two years due to complaints about the effect on area businesses.