They say they would prefer a statewide ban on smoking in public places. But members of the Verona City Council say they can't wait for the state legislature to act. They have unanimously voted to ban smoking in workplaces, bars, restaurants, and parks.
“We are not banning someone from the right to smoke, they can do that,” said Alderman Mac McGilvray Monday night. “What we are saying, someone's right to be self-destructive does not supersede my right to be in a healthy environment. It's pretty clear this is bad. This is bad for everyone. If you want to do it, you should do it in the privacy of your own home. The sooner you make this very difficult for people to continue on with this habit, the better off we're going to be as a community and as a world.”
“People don't want to be near smokers,” said Alerman Brad Stiner. The ban takes effect in the Dane County community on August 15. All major exceptions were cut out of the ordinance, including one that would have allowed bars to have designated outdoor smoking sections.