Politics & Government

County Executive Vetoes Bill to Put Smoking Ban on 2012 Ballot

In press release, Steve Ehlmann says he won't make winners of casinos and losers of small businesses.

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann announced Tuesday that he vetoed a bill passed by the St. Charles County Council to put a countywide smoking ban on the November 2012 ballot.

Ehlmann said in a press release the government should not pick winners and losers by creating an exception to the smoking ban for casinos and cigar shops.

“But I believe that when a regulation is passed to improve public health,
exceptions to that regulation would be totally irrational," he said in the release. "If the purpose of the smoking ban is to protect the health of employees, there is no rational reason to exclude casino floor workers. If tobacco smoke is harmful, there is no reason to exempt cigar bars, while regulating bars that allow cigarette smoking.”

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The County Council could override the veto with five yes votes. The bill was approved by the council on May 31 on a 4-2 vote.

“If this veto is not overridden, I suspect that discussion of this issue will
continue,” Ehlmann said in the press release.

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