Speaking to the joint finance committee about my business and the smoking ban.

Sorry we missed the first couple seconds here's what I said:
Good Afternoon,
I would like to start by thanking the joint finance committee for taking the time to hear the public's thoughts and concerns.

My name is Dane Schaefer. I am here to day to discuss the Smoke Free Workplace Act included in the Governor's budget proposal. I am aware that the committee has not yet pulled policy from the proposed budget and I am hopeful that this will be pulled as I question how a bill that is so blatantly policy could have been included to begin with.

I am the owner of The Epicure Lounge in Sheboygan. I opened it in September of 2006 and business is going very well. The Epicure Lounge is a hookah bar. I sell no food products. I also do not sell any intoxicating beverages. The Epicure Lounge is not a bar, or a restaurant. Roughly 70% of it's income is generated from the indoor smoking of tobacco. Another 5 to 10% of its income is generated from retailing tobacco products. The remainder is non-intoxicating beverages. The Epicure lounge's product IS indoor smoking. The few beverages sold would not be sold if it is illegal to smoke indoors at my business. If the smoking ban is passed in its current form, without including exemptions for my business and businesses similar to mine, I will lose my business. All of it. The state will effectively shut it down. It will be profitable one day and within 24 hours it will have zero income.

This comes at a time we are struggling with national, state, and local economies. This comes at a time when my business has just bought a building that has sat vacant for over two years. When it is paying local contractors, who have had less work than usual, to completely remodel said building and when I am planning on hiring employees.

As a thanks for that economic contribution, the state I invested in is going to shut me down. Wisconsin is willing to turn its back on the sales tax, the 50% tobacco products tax I pay, a few more jobs, and an ambitious young entrepreneur. This is included in our proposed budget. This is not a matter of personal feelings about the smoking ban. It simply makes no sense that a business like mine would be included in this legislation.

Thank you again for your time.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• smoking
• wisconsin
• hookah
• hookah bar
• epicure
• epicure lounge
• sheboygan