Cates: Cigar bill intended to start talks
Senator says he's willing to spend some political capital.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
West Chester Twp.'s representative in the Ohio Senate said the bill he drafted to amend Ohio's smoking ban is a move to promote discussion over details.
Senate Bill 195 would permit an exemption to Ohio's smoking ban "to allow smoking in cigar bars and in outdoor seating areas of restaurants that are at least 20 feet away from an entrance, exit or window of the restaurant."
Sen. Gary Cates mixes a Beam & Diet while guest bartending at Anthony's Cigar Bar and Grille as a charity event for The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty. Cates drafted a bill that would allow businesses such as this to allow cigar smoking, despite Ohio's smoking ban."Let's use common sense," said Sen. Gary Cates. "Right now we need to have a discussion in the court of public opinion."
Cates said inspiration for the bill came from discussions with Greg Varacalli, owner of Anthony's Cigar Bar & Grille in West Chester Twp. Varacalli opened the cigar bar and restaurant in July 2006, with a 300-cubic-foot walk-in humidor and air filtration system that Varacalli said cost $300,000. With the adoption and subsequent enforcement of the smoking ban, Varacalli said he has had to reinvent the business to stay open.
The restaurant, now with "cigar" dropped from its name and an expanded menu, is planning a grand re-opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at
5 p.m. Friday.
"I'm hoping that turns us around," Varacalli said.
"Here's a guy who's invested a significant amount in his business," said Cates, who noted Varacalli's revenue is down 60 percent to 70 percent since the ban went into effect May 3.
"I think it speaks to how overreaching the smoking ban is," he said. "I'm willing to spend some political capital on his behalf."
Cates' bill sets standards for what
would qualify cigar bars for an exemption to the ban: "a walk-in humidor that consists of a minimum volume of 300 cubic feet and that has HEPA-designed air filtration systems, carbon filtration, carbon dioxide
filtration, smoke eaters and ozone machines."
"I basically used what (Varacalli) invested in as the standard," he said. "That represents a sizeable investment in a cigar bar."
Tracy Sabetta, vice president of government relations in Ohio for the American Cancer Society, said the organization will be watching how the bill fares when the senate reconvenes in September.
"The Smoke Free Workplace Act was designed to protect workers from second-hand smoke," she said. "If the law covers traditional bar workers, we also should protect workers in cigar bars."
Both Varacalli and Cates said they know the bill faces challenges when it hits the Senate floor.
"Unfortunately, I don't think it's gotten a lot of support from other politicians because it's not the politically correct thing to do," Varacalli said.
"I did this because mainly I've got a constituent pleading for help," said Cates, who said he is not a cigar smoker, but plans to guest bartend at Friday's event. "People like Greg are entitled to their day in court so people can hear what happened to them."
The re-opening at Anthony's Bar & Grille is scheduled to take place 5 p.m. Friday at the restaurant, located at 7641 Voice of America Center Drive. Varacalli said he anticipates Cates will be joined in his guest bartending by county auditor Kay Rogers, and that the evening will include a drawing for free Lasik surgery by The Lasik Institute.
Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5127 or mcunningham@coxohio.com.
