HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.223 2002-2004 ~~iv,os
Harry Kim ~ Dixie Kactsu
Mayor Managing Director
~I ~PPeter L. Hendricks
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25 Aupuni Street, Room 215 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252 • (808) 961-8211 • Faz ~~ry1~9~G553 L„~., 1 U O
KONA: 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Sui[e l03 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii ~~NT," i 11- HAWAII
(808)329-5226 • Fax (808)326-5663
June 29, 2003
Ric Maiava
General Manager
Ken's House of Pancakes
1730 Kamehameha Avenue
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Mr. Maiava:
I have received your letter dated June 26, 2003, informing me of your support of Bill 260.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me about this. I am very pleased to hear that your
business has improved since you converted to "smoke free" on June lst.
I am attaching a copy of the letter I sent to the Hawaii County Council to inform them of my
concerns about Bill 260 as presently written. I fully support the ban on smoking in
restaurants. My concern about the ban on smoking in bars is based on what the proper role of
government should be. If "smoke free" is good for business, I would rather see bars make the
change voluntarily when they realize this.
Thank you again for writing and sharing your experience with me. I am forwarding a copy of
your letter to the Hawaii County Council for its information as they take this issue up again
on July 2.
Aloha,
Harry
K~
MAYOR
Attachment -Letter to Hawaii County Council
cc: Hawaii County Council ~j
Comm. No. 3 '
Ref. Tot ~
Ref. Date
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"7ammin' Since I~{il"
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR HARRY KIM
FAX: 961-6553
DATE: 6/26/03
RE: IN SUPPORT OF BILL 260 -DRAFT 6
ON JUNE In, WE WENT `SMOKE FREE'. OUR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE SMOKERS,
OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED FOR THIS. THEIR HEALTH WAS THE MAIN ISSUE. IT HAS PROVEN TO
BE A MOVE WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YEARS AGO. BUSINESS AND SERVICE HAS IMPROVED.
OUR SMOKERS THAT THREATENED TO BOYCOTT THE RESTAURANT ARE BACK. THE
CONSTANT, AND I DO MEAN CONSTANT THANKS AND APPRECIATION FROM CUSTOMERS
AND FAMILIES BOTH OLD AND NEW ARE OVERWHELMING.
HAVING BEEN BOTH A SMOKER AND IN THE BAR BUSINESS FOR OVER 20 YEARS I UNDERSTAND
THEIR FEARS. I HAVE ALSO READ ABOUT AND SPOKEN TO BARTENDERS THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN CALIFORNIAS LAWS AND THE COMMON FACTOR WAS, THEY DID NOT LOSE ANY BUSINESS,
IN FACT, NEW CUSTOMERS SHOWED UP ONCE THEY WENT SMOKE FREE, BUSINESS GOT BETTER.
MANY BAR OWNERS ARE FEARFUL, HAPPY WITH THEIR `STATUS QUO'. BUT CHANGES ARE
NECESSARY.
WE "ALL" NOW HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING SECOND HAND SMOKE. YOU HAVE
BEEN BOMBARDED' WITH EVIDENCE, MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE, "WHY IN THE WORLD ARE WE
LISTENING TO THE `ECONOMICAL' REASONINGS AND RANTINGS OF A FEW INSTEAD OF THE
FAR GREATER ISSUES WHICH ARE AND SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN 'THE HEALTH AND WELL
BEING OF THE PUBLIC' AND THE'MAJORITY' OF THE COMMUNITY YOU SERVEY' A FEW BARS IN
ANY COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT HAVE PRIORITY OR THE RIGHTS TO DETERMINE THEIR
HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THE WHOLE. SMOKING IS BEING BANNED IN ALL PUBLIC
BULDINGS, WHY SHOULD BARS BE EXCLUDED? THESE ARE NOT `PRIVATE CLUB57
HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE, OPPORTUNITY AND MOMENTUM, THE COUNCIL IS FINALLY
HEADING IN THE DIRECTION OF BETTERING OUR COMMUNITIES' AND OUR CHILDREN. HEALTH
IS THE ISSUE NOT THE LOCAL BARS FEARS. DRINKERS AND SMOKER'S WILL ALWAYS FIND A WAY
TO SATISFY THEIR NEEDS.
THE NON-SMOKING PUBLIC AND OUR CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER BE'VICTIMS' AGAIN.
MAHALO,
R[C MAIAVA, GENERAL MANAGER, KEN'S NOOSE OF PANCAKES