Campaign committees form for both sides in St. Louis County smoking ban vote
Charles Gatton
Tom Sullivan
Campaign committees for and against a smoking ban in public indoor places in St. Louis County registered last Thursday with the St. Louis County Election Board. Voters will consider the issue at a special election Nov. 3.
Citizens for a Smoke-Free County is the group promoting the ban. The opposing group is Citizens Against Proposition N.
Charles Gatton, the chairman of the supporters’ committee, said the smoking ban “is good for the citizens, for workers, businesses and families.” The ban, he said, would “improve the health and well-being of our region for our children and their children.”
The committee has a website, www.smokefreestlcounty.org. It plans to send a mailing to targeted voters in the county, Gatton said. It has a speakers bureau, he said.
Gatton did not say how much money he hopes his committee would raise. He said he expects support from doctors and hospitals.
Gatton said he was one of the authors of Ballwin’s indoor public places smoking ban when he was an alderman in that city from 2001 to 2006.
Civic activist Tom Sullivan of University City is spokesman for Citizens Against Proposition N, the opposition group. He said he would comment in the very near future.
The ban would prohibit smoking in indoor public areas. Among exceptions are casino floors, bars that have incomes from food at 25 percent or less of gross income and operating when the proposed ban takes effect and smoking lounges at Lambert Field. If voters agree, the ban would take effect on Jan. 2, 2011.
Is Tom Sullivan ever FOR anything?
Tom Sullivan is a lonely and angry man. Please stop citing him as some sort of leader. This man stalks public officials and wastes tax dollars with rediculous requests. He does NOT lead some large group of citizens nor has he ever. He is alone. He is likely dangerous. By giving him a soapbox. If there is no real opposition to something the reporter does not need to create a false one just to fill print space. The local media just feeds this man’s angry ego. Please stop encouraging this sad man.
.Common Sense favors high taxes and big brother government.
I’ll take the lonely angry man Sullivan any day over Common Sense.
Gee Common Sense, funny how voters rejected ballot items in recent years with Sullivan leading the opposition.
The only danger Common Sense is you and your brain.
Venice wrote
“Is Tom Sullivan ever FOR anything?”
From his position on this issue, my guess is that he for freedom and the right to choose.
Gotta agree w/ daHood on this one. Common Sense lost the debate by beginning with name-calling then showed a lot of cards by being against the guy who is 100% consistent is being pro-freedom and anti-government waste. He knew too much when skeptical about the GOP Election board appointment. Sounds like a republican county staffer or “consultant” who lost a ballot issue to Sullivan.
Sullivan is a patriot. Go see the movie. He takes on tough causes, with limited resources, and usually wins.
Gatton by the way, sounds like a guy who is striving to get back the 15 minutes of fame he gained as an Alderman for four years. He evidently had total disdain to liberty when he wreaked havoc on the restaurants in Ballwin and he wants to use the force of government to choose casinos over small business now. Nice platform.
KARLA MAY IS THE BEST CANIDATE FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE ,SHE HAS A GENIUNE CONCERN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY,IT IS NOT A SHOW. I DO BELIEVE IF GIVEN A CHANCE ,SHE WILL EXPLOIT EVERY AVENUE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. THIS YOUNG LADY IS VERY DETERMINED TO HAVE HANDS ON WITH DEALING WITH ISSUES WE ARE FACED WITH IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO LETS HELP HER DO IT. HER RECORD SHOWS ,SHE IS NOT THE PERSON TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. SHE SEES SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECT IN THE COMMUNITY ,WHICH THE OTHER CANDIDATES WERE IN THE POSITION TO CORRECT , AND SAID BUT HASN’T IMPLEMENTED. LETS GIVE THIS YOUNG LADY A CHANCE. HER WARD IS BEHIND HER, WE KNOW SHES HONEST,QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION, SO LETS GET HER THEIR TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY .
Tom Sullivan has the Missouri Restaurant Association, and almost every bar or bowling alley owner in St. Louis County behind him.
The casino and bar exemption in Barbara Fraser’s smoking ban will be challenged as violating the Special Laws Clause of the Missouri Constitution. Her smoking ban unfairly favors two closed ended classes of businesses without rational justification. We pleaded with her to substitute a fair, rational and constitutional “over 21″ exemption that would apply to equally to all businesses. She wouldn’t budge. This law should be rejected by the voters.
Mr. Towers - Do you know Mr. Gatton personally? Do you know ANYTHING about the state of Ballwin restaurants today? Obviously not. While sales tax revenues among restaurants and bars is down 8% in neighboring Manchester without a Indoor Clean Air Ordinance, Ballwin is only down 4%. Several restaurants have opened or expanded in Ballwin. No Havoc was brought upon the restaurants and bars in Ballwin. Mr. Hannegan will tell you otherwise but Mr. Hannegan hasn’t seen the hard numbers - I have. As for casinos, this bill was written by County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser. I am unaware of any input from Mr. Gatton regarding Casinos on this one. Know your facts first Mr. Towers and stop bashing Ballwin and its genuine concern for the health of its residents, patrons and employees.