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From: barbra franz
To: info@smokersclub.com
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007
Subject: My Speech

I live in Palatine, Ill. and work in Arlington Heights, Ill. This is a speech I gave in front of the board of Arlington Heights, Ill. I have spoke in front of both boards, but my words fall to deaf ears except for one trustee in Arlington Heights. Her name is Virginia Z. Kucera. She is absolutely againist the ban as she states in the March 5th meeting.
Here is my speech:

I have e-mailed many politicians over the last couple of weeks more than once, so I will try not to repeat anything I have sent. This issue is taking it's toll on everyone. I am very passionate over this ordinance for various reasons. A business needs to stay in business during this time of change. You also know I am a non-smoker.
 
I have not been this envolved in politics since my first job; which was on the Carter/Mondale re-election campaign. To me the smoking issue is a matter of personal liberties. Myself and the business owners should have been more active from the beginning of this issue. I indulge in my freedom of choice in this country. Which includes the fact that not everyone has to agree on the same issue. Freedom of speech is wonderful.
 
I am hearing alot of non-smokers saying they have a right to breath clean air. They do. We should also be as passionate in fighting global warming and other environmental issues.

Non-smokers talk about the health of the employees in a smoking enviroment. I wonder if they have ever worked in a smoking enviroment to make this statement. I am sure there is no one here from the Arlington Heights racetrack either. I heard a woman speak at the Palatine meeting about her cancer battle in horrific detail claiming the cause was second hand smoke. It makes me ask questions. Did she grow up in a house with smokers? Does she live with a smoker? Does she have friends that smoke? Any heredity issues? It is not clear how much exposure over a period of time will give you cancer. Understand I am not saying smoke in any form is good. Not even the chewing of tobacco.

My mother is a smoker and I lived with a person for 16 years that smoked.  I have been in this business for more than 26 years and according to my physical last year (which includes blood work & a mamogram), I am healthy and cancer free. Call me lucky or question the statistics.
 
I have heard non-smokers say they are allergic to smoke. Alot of people have many allergies like: seasonal, animal, food, dairy, perfume and so on. They take precautions to deal with these allergies. We eat and drink things that are bad for us all the time. Like: fried foods, coffee, soda, alcohol and chocolate. No one is trying to ban any of these items. We hear or read warnings of these items or they come up with alternatives; like healthier frying oil, caffeine-free or sugar-free, etc.
 
Advocates get paid through their charities to lobby for a "smoke free" society. These advocates will talk about numbers and percentages. Numbers can also be altered to make their point. I think these passionate advocates should go to Washington DC to protest the production of tobacco. Make an effort to make it illegal. The problem of "rights" to the public over tobacco would be over. But, that will not happen. Tobacco makes money for all levels of government. Without revenue from the sales of tobacco other taxes will increase.
 
Therefore; since tobacco IS legal and ALL citizens have EQUAL rights in this country, including smokers and business owners, I feel we should compromise.
 
The Clean Indoor Air Ordinance states it includes outdoors. Indoor does not mean outdoor. One of my non-smoking friends said "I don't care about the smokers. Let them smoke outside". I told him they can't even have that. I have smoking friends and non-smoking friends, and non-smokers will go with their smoking friends somewhere to smoke.
 
Wheeling has put together a compromise. It is fair to every citizen and business owner at this moment in time. Who knows what or how the laws will be a couple of years from now?  Change is a constant. I can embrace change. I just like it done in moderation.
 
This ordinance UNFAIRLY strips local storeowners of the freedom to manage their businesses & facilities as they see fit.
 
I am asking the council to rethink this legislation as purposed and embrace the same exemptions as Wheeling. To be fair to EVERY citizen and business owner.
Thank you.

Racetrack escapes smoke ban

October 31, 2006
By Sheila Ahern, Daily Herald Staff Writer

The Arlington Heights village board approved the idea of a villagewide smoking ban Monday night — except for the Arlington Park racetrack and Trackside, an off-track betting restaurant adjacent to the track.

The board will formally approve the ban next week and it would prohibit smoking in all enclosed public places and within 15 feet of those places. Penalties would range from $100 to $500. If approved, the ban would go into effect Jan. 2.

Trustee Virginia Kucera was the only trustee to vote against the ban.

“I’m not about to take away the rights of business owners because of a health issue,” Kucera said at Monday’s informal meeting. “There are a lot of health issues.”

Several residents who spoke at the meeting wanted a total smoking ban that would include the racetrack. Trustee Tom Stengren voted to exempt the track but said he’d rather vote for a total ban.

“This is a watered down version of what we wanted to do,” Stengren said. “I think it should be stronger.”

Eventually racetrack officials want to ban smoking inside the track, but track officials need to phase in a plan on their own timeline, said Arlington Park’s vice president of community relations, Kristine Stabler, at Monday’s meeting.

“We will phase it in, starting next year,” Stabler said. “It’s something we’re working on.”

Monday was the second recent meeting Arlington Heights officials have held on the topic of a smoking ban.

In September, representatives from the racetrack, Beverly Lanes bowling alley, and two restaurants all said they'd want some sort of exception from a proposed villagewide smoking ban.

But the only exemption the board supported Monday night was for the racetrack.

“I do think the track is unique,” Village President Arlene Mulder said. “There is not another facility like it in the Northwest suburbs.”

The board exempted the Trackside as well because although it’s technically a restaurant, most customers are there to bet, not eat. Less than 2 percent of Trackside’s revenue comes from food and beverage sales, Stabler said.

“It’s a betting facility, that’s what it is,” Trustee Joseph Farwell said.

The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce surveyed business members and 153 responded. According to the results, 76 percent of the people who responded favored a smoking ban for Arlington Heights residents. But 59 percent of those who responded also said they favored exempting the racetrack.

Arlington Heights has had public hearings on the possibility of a smoking ban three times during the past 15 years. Each time it failed because trustees feared losing restaurant business to nearby towns.
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Committee Calls For More Time To Study Smoking Ban

SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

The Arlington Heights Committee-of-the-Whole decided to agree with the idea of a smoking ban, while still examining the possibility of putting one into law.

Committee members discussed the issue at the village board meeting on Monday, Sept. 11.

"The board had a lot of concerns," said Health Dept. Director James McCalister. "Several people stood up and spoke," he added. Those who addressed the board against a ban included people who own restaurants in town, a representative from Arlington Park, and the owner of a bowling alley. The audience included both sides of the issue.

"Others expressed the need for such an ordinance," he said.

The members discussed several aspects of the proposal, designed by a regional coalition including mayors of Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Rolling Meadows. That group supports the idea of the regional smoking ban at the start of 2007.

"They talked about the race track, the bowling alley, private clubs, the distance from the door where you can smoke," McCalister said. The proposed ordinance states smokers must stand at least 15 feet from the door of a building that prohibits smoking. "(They) decided they wanted to study the issue a little further."

The committee made a motion to recommend that the board of trustees make a statement agreeing with the regional coalition's approach. However, they left open the possibility of adding exemptions later. That motion passed with a vote of 8-1 with Trustee Virginia Kucera voting against it.

McCalister is not sure what the board will do with the recommendation.

"What they could do is use the same draft ordinance and add some exemptions," he said. Exemptions discussed included Arlington Park, bowling alleys and Rolling Green Country Club. He did not know how the trustees might decide that one business deserves an exemption while another one would not.
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