Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Andrea Pendergast

Media Credit: Andrea Pendergast

Gov. Jim Doyle's sweeping anti-smoking legislation includes a statewide smoking ban in public places and an increase in the cigarette tax by $1.25.

It also includes millions of dollars toward anti-smoking programs to "prevent Wisconsin kids from starting to smoke," according to a press release.

If passed, the ban would apply to all public buildings, restaurants, taverns and workplaces in Wisconsin.

State Rep. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, said Friday that he has previously voted against similar legislation because he favors local control and that the smoking ban is too broad.

"Certainly I think that there would need to be the possibility of some businesses having exemptions," he said, citing the example of a cigar bar that would "pretty much go out of business" if the ban was enacted.

Local ordinances banning smoking are already enacted or proposed in several Wisconsin cities, including Menomonie and Madison.

In a statement emailed to The Spectator, State Sen. Pat Kreitlow, D-Chippewa Falls, stopped short of supporting a ban in all public places, but applauded Doyle's proposals.

"I am in support of a statewide ban in public areas with a large exposure to children," Kreitlow said. "As for private workplaces and other areas, I believe these choices might best be made by individual business owners or local governments."

Senior Dave Grossman said he also supports a smoking ban.

"If they ban smoking, that makes me less likely to get cancer," he said.

Senior Phil Kolas, however, had a different view, saying businesses should get to choose their clientele.

"I think it's a terrible idea," he said. "It's a bad idea in a business sense."

Also under the plan, the $1.25 cigarette tax increase would help offset the cost of smoking-related illnesses and benefit health care programs such as Medicaid.

According to a press release from the governor's office, 20,000 smokers have quit since Wisconsin raised the cigarette tax to 77 cents in 1999.

At $2.02 per pack, the cigarette tax in Wisconsin would be among the highest in the nation.

Moulton said the problem with a cigarette tax increase is if smoking decreased as a result, then programs relying on revenue from the tax would not see as much funding.

In addition to the cigarette tax, Doyle's initiative would also re-finance tobacco settlement bonds to provide $600 million into a permanent trust fund.

Under the plan, $30 million in interest generated from that fund would help pay for anti-smoking programs.

The proposal will be sent to the state Legislature, where Republicans control the Assembly by a 52-47 margin and Democrats hold the Senate 18-15.

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