Restaurants, bars to decide on ban

March 9, 2007
Carmen Greco Jr

BRIDGEVIEW -- Bridgeview trustees this week decided to allow bar and restaurant owners to decide on their own whether smokers can light up in their establishments.

Heading off a Cook County ordinance that bans smoking in virtually all public accommodations, the Village Board voted unanimously Wednesday to keep smoking restriction-free in restaurants and taverns.

Officials had to pass their own ordinance before March 14 or fall under the provisions of the county law, which takes effect the following day.

Village Board member Michael Pticek said smoking restrictions would put popular spots like Niko's and Mama Luigi's at a competitive disadvantage with their counterparts in neighboring towns where smoking is allowed.

Business owners in Orland Park and Oak Forest say they have lost as much as 50 percent of their customer base in the wake of smoking bans in those towns.

"We do not condone smoking, but we do not want to chase customers across Harlem Avenue or 95th Street," Pticek said.

All this could be moot if state lawmakers in Springfield pass a statewide smoking ban that would apply equally to all restaurants and taverns in Illinois.

"If the state said this is the way it's going to be, then the people on this board would give it a thumbs up," Pticek said, adding that no one on the board is a smoker.
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