HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0013.284 2002-2004 Hilo Trading Co., Ltd. NIHON c~
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123 Lihiwai Seat H110. Hawaii 96720 (808) %9-1133
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July 1Q 2003 Z 7 ~
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Hawaii County Council ~
VIA FACSIMILE ~ ~ l
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1kAr Councilmembers,
My name is Steven Hironaka and I am the owner/manager of the Nihon Restaurant
located iu Hilo. This letter ie to express my views on smoking Bi11260, Drag 8 that will
be before you on Wednesday, July 23, 200D.
C will be out of town during the next leading of the bill and would like to provide
teadmony via this latter. I agree that alcohol and smoking go hand in hand and also agree
with most of the changes made in Draft 8. But, I do not agree with smoking being banned
in nightclubs, which are the same as beta, nor do I agree that smoking should be banned
in restaurants that provide outdoor seating.
[ sell cigars in my establishment, which accounts for 55000 in sales annually. l provide
an area on my balcony eutdoora for cigar smoking. We arc the only testaurandbar in Hilo
that allow cigar smoking.
In Section 1 of this bill, the purpose is to provide employees and the general public from
the effects of ETS. If I am not mistaken, it is the duty of the State Depalrinent of Health
to protect the general public in troataurxnts and it is the duty of the State Department of
Occupational Safety and Health (HIOSH) to protect the employees. This Bill should not
be on a County Level.
This bill would make it legal to smoke in bars, most of which are totally eneiosed, and
illegal to smoke on the lanai of my restaurant, which is an open air lanai. This is not fair
at all. I will Lose a tot of 'drinking' customers.
Also, who would realistically ent'orce this law? Should we call the police when someone
refuses to extinguish his/her cigarette? With all the 'ice' problems the County of Hawaii
is having, doesn't our police fortx have more impottaot matters to take care of7
Last of all, I am a cigar smoker. With the passage of thin bill, would I, after restaurant
hours, and after all employees have Icft, be able to smoke a cigar in my own restaurant?
Comm. No. ' ~ x+
Rof. To: IA,
Ref. Date
Please consider allowing restaurants with outside aeafing some consideration or
exemptions, or no ban at all. Or, let the individual restaurants owners decide if they
would like to go smoke free. If ail the `reports' show an Increase of salsa is a smoke free
restaurant, why haven't stl the restaurants voluntarily gotta smoke free. And £eel free to
call the at 969-1133 should you have and quostions or discussions.
Sincerely,
St I. Huonaka
General Manager
Nihon Restaurant