Those who are so inclined will be allowed to light up if the restaurant or bar wishes to permit it.
Despite an outburst of public opinion against Galveston City Council’s September vote to overturn its smoking ban, council members defeated Mayor Joe Jaworski’s effort to find a compromise to the argument Thursday.
Only Councilwoman Elizabeth Beeton voted with him, while Mayor Pro Tem Linda Colbert abstained. Dianna Puccetti, Chris Gonzales, Steve Greenberg and Rusty Legg all voted against his motion to ban indoor smoking in the city’s bars, clubs and restaurants but to allow it on outside patios and at least five feet from the establishments’ front entrances.
After the vote, which visibly upset indoor ban supporters who had waited until 8:30 p.m. to hear it, each of the council members except Jaworski and Beeton explained their stance on the issue.
Puccetti said she believed many businesses would remain smoke-free.
Legg said he had received information that some of the smaller bars will not be going back to smoking.
Gonzales said he encouraged businesses to remain smoke-free, “but it’s not our responsibility to set the rules.”
Emphasis mine.
Mayor Joe, seems to find it hard to understand that he the mayor and not our nanny. While I may choose not to smoke at the establishments, It really isn’t the cities business but an arrangement between the proprietors and their clients. I also hope that those who do not like the smell of tobacco smoke will find places that suit them also. I think the council members are begining to understand that the citizens are expecting their city to have a lighter hand on their approach to governance.
