County voters will decide smoking ban, radio tax at polls today
Updated: 8:37 a.m. Tuesday
Polls opened as expected at 6 a.m today for local voters, who will consider a partial smoking ban, a tax to raise money for emergency radio equipment and a pair of legislative races.
Most of the action will be on the St. Louis County ballot, which will feature a proposed ban on smoking in restaurants and most other public places. If approved, the measure would also trigger a smoking ban in the city.
St. Louis aldermen approved smoke-free legislation last month, but — fearing that acting alone would put city businesses at a disadvantage — made it contingent on county approval.
County voters will also decide a tenth-of-a-cent sales tax to fund a new emergency communications system.
With no statewide contests on the ballot, turnout is expected to be sparse — maybe 15 percent or less.
Pockets of higher turnout, however, could be expected in Kirkwood — which will decide on a stricter, municipal smoking ban — and the Clayton area, where voters will pick a replacement for former state Rep. Steve Brown.
At Maplewood City Hall this morning, one of the four touch-screen voting machines was giving an error message. Three other machines were operable and available to voters, along with an optical ballot option.
Assistant Supervisor Linda Stuart was working on the problem at 8:30 a.m.
Another small problem happened at the Maplewood City Hall voting site because the locks on the doors were on a timer not set to open until 8 a.m. Poll workers had to manually open the door for voters using the entrance on the east side of City Hall. Voter turnout there was light with just 10 people voting in the first hour.
In St. Louis, voters in the Fourth Senatorial District have an election, but no choice — Democrat Joe Keaveny is the only candidate to replace former state Sen. Jeff Smith, who resigned with Brown after both admitted to federal conspiracy charges.
Polls close at 7 p.m. With the light turnout, results could be available by 10 p.m. — we’ll have them posted on Political Fix as soon as they become available.
The St. Louis Bowling Proprietors Association has opposed Proposition N since it’s second reading before the St. Louis County Council in August.
Aside from the opinion of smoking vs. non smoking, you must vote no against this ridiculously bad legislative proposal for this reason:
Why should County voters decide the St. Louis City’s no smoking law? If you did not see the story Saturday, the Board of Alderman passed a no smoking ordinance in the city - but it would only go into effect if county voters approve Proposition N.
City voters should be outraged that their aldermen won’t let them vote on this issue. County voters shouldn’t be deciding city laws.
Charles Jaco of Channel 2 and KTRS calls the city’s action “weak.”
Proposition N is weak. It exempts casinos, some bars and Lambert International Airport. Again, why are county voters being asked to make a law for the St. Louis city-owned airport, on St. Louis city-owned land?
Voters want the best out of government. Clearly this isn’t the best legislation. Even Martin Pion, head of Missour GASP agrees with us - writing on their website that “it isn’t as strong as it should be.”
The American Cancer Society, American Lung Assocation, and American Heart Association agree with us. They all are on record opposing Proposition N.
The Post Dispatch in its October 24 editorial agreed with us, that casinos should not be exempt.
Send a message to County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, a candidate for State Senate, hoping for a victory today to aid her campaign in that race:
Vote no until government - preferably the Missouri legislature - proposes a clean bill about clean air for everyone, not just a selected few.
Scott Simon
Campaign Manager
St. Louis Bowling Proprietors Association
voted against the ban until casino’s are part of the ban.
voted for e911
No on everything. No to Charlie Dooley.
There is a simple solution to all of this!
If smokers embrace electronic cigarettes, then the issue of smoking bans will be mute. There is no second-hand smoke, no odor, no carcinogens, no CO2, and no mess like ashes, butts, etc. from electronic cigarettes. If smokers of tobacco cigarettes would switch their habit to a non-tobacco electronic cigarette, we would have no further need to further infringe on the personal freedoms of any one group. Whether you are a smoker, or a non-smoker, you should learn more about this technology.
If you are smoker, consider it as an option. You won’t be inhaling all the chemicals and carcinogens that you currently do from your tobacco cigarette.
If you are a non-smoker, learn about the technology, and pass the information on to your friends who are smokers. The electronic cigarette is a win-win in so many ways.
You can learn all about this technology as well as the contents of electronic cigarette vapor and other information such as scientific studies at my informational website, http://www.NoTobacco.net/Blog
Thank you.
Property rights should not be up for a vote.
Freedom of association should be sacrosanct in America (unfortunately, it’s not).
Health care costs that fall on the public reveal a problem with socialism, not freedom.
people have a mind of thier own why can’t they choose, lets let the market decided this issue it shouldn’t be a law, we can’t write into law everthing that is bad for you. should we close all the Mcdonalds becasue of the over eaters, lets ban youth hockey and football too. we as the people of this country need to step up and get the governemt out of every little issue, we are voting our rights out the window and if all these special interest groups keep getting thier way we are not going to have any rights, Smoker or not this should not be a voting issue, I don’t need any more government regulations telling how I can run my bar and for the people that want to let the government run your lives and businesses there are plenty of other places in the world that can provide that to you.
simple solution, you don’t like smoking don’t come to my bar to work or relax. you have that choice to make not voters who don’t even patronize my bar.
hey make a choice - the reason I don’t patronize your bar (or any other bar for that matter) is that you DO allow smoking.
How can you call it an E-911 bill when it’s nothing other than a permanent tax increase?
JUST SAY NO TO ADDITIONAL GOVN’T WASTE. TELL THEM TO SAVE THE MONEY IF THEY WANT SOMETHING LIKE WE’RE DOING.
How can you support military spending when all government spending is SOCIALIST?
Abolish the military, encourage private ownership of firearms and private collective defense. Defend individual rights!
ocean - That’s 100% your choice. Now, go vote no on Proposition N and continue working to convince property owners in the only fair way, with your wallet.