My Salute to Ted Krygiel of Olivette Lanes - The No Smoking Update

Today, I salute Ted Krygiel, owner of Olivette Lanes and President of the St. Louis Bowling Proprietors Association.

As you will see below in an article I posted last week, the St. Louis County Council is considering a bill to put on the November ballot a referendum asking voters whether or not smoking should be banned in public locations such as bars and restaurants.

County Council to vote on No Smoking Bill Tuesday August 18th

The public hearing was held last Tuesday and Ted spoke out for the bowling proprietors and is officially recorded in the St. Louis County Council Journal.

As a long time political reporter, I am learning from sources that the bill's sponsor is doing it to gain political notoriety.

Councilwoman Barbara Fraser has announced she is running in 2010 for the Missouri State Senate seat now held by Joan Bray who cannot run again due to term limits. Bray, the former St. Louis Post Dispatch reporter, was a very good representative for her district. I disagreed with her nearly every issue but I respected her because she did things above board.

The same cannot be said for Fraser.

She introduced this no-smoking referendum for the Council agenda before writing it.

Fraser needs to ramrod no smoking this year.

Because...if passed in November, it won't be implemented until next year...at a time when she will be campaigning for the State Senate - and the perfect timing for her to list "look what I did, I banned smoking" to her resume.

Yep, she wants to pad her politico resume on the backs of business owners which include bowling proprietors.

BOWLING HOOD urges you to write to the Council members whose email address links are listed in the original article from last week.

BOWLING HOOD urges you to pressure the following Council people:

Wassinger
Quinn
Stenger

BOWLING HOOD is stunned Wassinger and Quinn support this. They are Republicans and I don't know any Republicans in favor of punishing business owners. Quinn's arm must be twisted - he has considerable clout because of his tenure on the Council.

BOWLING HOOD considers Stenger a political lightweight. Rod Blagojevich could have been Stenger's opponent last year. He must know he's a lightweight - Stenger had to hire a public relations firm to prop him up. It's pretty obvious he can't impress citizens based on his voting record.

BOWLING HOOD urges you to write these Council representatives and County Executive Charles Dooley to oppose this bill even if you don't live in St. Louis County.

If you live in a non-smoking state, your letters would be extremely helpful. You've seen the loss of business in your states. Let them know what they'll cause.

The bowling business has leveled off. They now have a baseline from which to operate. This would change their baseline - cost them business - and for many, cause them to go from a profit to a loss. I know one center that could easily close if this passes.

This bill is a joke. They're going to exclude casinos, bars that primarily sell alcohol and get this - allow people to smoke at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

You're seeing what people are doing about the proposed health care reform. Do something now for your bowling proprietors.