PUFF, PUFF, PUFF, TILL YOU SMOKE YOURSELF TO DEATH...

Hi folks -- Just wanted to send you all a quick reminder about an upcoming vote in Austin! After years of debate, and finally a fair resolution, they are once again trying to ban smoking completely from all public places in Austin. And as a working musician, and a citizen who loves this town, let me assure you that a complete smoking ban is BAD FOR AUSTIN.

As it stands now, any business that wants to allow smoking in their establishment has to buy a permit for $300, and they may allow as much or little smoking as they feel their patrons desire. To me, and many of my non-smoking friends, this is really the only fair way to do it. This way, Austin's "smoky little bars" and nightclubs, which have brought this city it's only source of worldwide recognition, and hence its population growth over the last 30 years, will be able to remain what they were intended to be. And since the non-smoking population of Austin (and the world) has grown immensely, there are MANY non-smoking establishments in Austin, and many of the clubs that allow smoking have "smoke-free" nights as well. Basically, since our current smoking regulations have gone into effect, I have heard almost zero complaints from non-smokers -- since, again, although it doesn't please everyone 100%, everyone realizes that it is the most fair way to treat the issue and its supporters on both sides.

I have already written about this on my website during the first go-round on this issue two years ago. In that Soapbox, I go over many of the issues involved, both pro and con (including a comparison to smokers and cyclists that, in retrospect, is both odd and fairly accurate), and present them and my viewpoint in much more detail than I will go into here.

In short, an outright ban on smoking is bad for Austin for many reasons -- the health issues and business effects have been extensively debated since 2002, with acres of data presented to support/diminish both sides, and, as usual, coming to a virtual draw -- but for me personally, it is as simple as the fact that I make my living through people listening to my music live, at bars and nightclubs. Many (over 50%) of people at my shows all over the country, especially in Austin, are smokers. If not full-timers, they at least "smoke when they drink", or "like to have a couple of drags when I'm at a bar". Therefore, when I play at a bar where smoking is not allowed (some places in Austin, everywhere in in New York City and California), the crowds are smaller overall, and the ones that are there spend literally half their time outside. That makes it so that people that pay money to see a show, and may spend more on my CD's and other stuff, only get presented with about 10% of the product I'm trying to sell. Not to mention they don't get to see the show they paid to see. The point is that this isn't just a personal choice issue, or a health issue. A smoking ban directly effects the (already paltry) revenue that thousands of musicians, once considered one of Austin's valued populations, are able to make. Also, Austin's strict noise ordinances make moving music to outdoor patios out of the question.

The Austin music scene and nightlife have been the biggest attractions for tourism, conventions, new businesses, and the overall growth of Austin for the past 30 years. Without it, Austin would be just one of the hundreds of nice, mid-size cities in the country. Our city has used and exploited the title "Live Music Capital Of The World" to gain growth and wealth for everyone, including musicians. And now, year after year, law by law, ordinance by ordinance, we are doing everything in our power to destroy what has made this city what it is.

I can't believe that Austin, one of the most generally open-minded and tolerant cities in the country, is becoming the most conservative, white-bread, Stepford-like towns I have ever seen. And now, the fact that some special interest groups can't accept an ordinance that has been extensively debated, voted on, and accepted as generally fair by almost the entire city as something they can tolerate is completely unacceptable to those of us that love Austin for what it is. A new ouright ban on smoking in Austin is not fair, or justifiable, or in the best interests of this city -- it is outright selfish zealotry under the guise of good intentions. The current smoking ban is fine just as it is. Please don't make a tough situation even worse, for little or no gain.

To contact your city councilperson, go to www.cityofaustin.org . If you disagree with me wholeheartedly, visit www.smokefreeaustin.org. The new vote for an outright ban on all smoking is May 7. I, and hopefully many of you, will be voting against it.

Roger