The citizens of Eau Claire will still have to stand outside restaurants if they want to smoke.
The repeal of the smoke-free dining ordinance, which was put into effect February 2000, lost in a 1-10 vote Tuesday.
Councilman Dennis Jenson was the one in favor of the repeal.
“Non-smokers have a right not to go into places where smoking is allowed,” Jenson said after the vote. He said he doesn’t think there is a direct link between the inhalation of second hand smoke and cancer.
Jenson said the ordinance is driving many of Eau Claire’s smokers to neighboring cities and towns, thus taking business away from the local “mom and pop restaurants.”
Once they lose their smoking customers, they have no non-smokers to compensate for their loss in revenue, he said.
UW-Eau Claire students have mixed feelings on the rejection of the repeal.
“I think it’s a good thing because I don’t like the smell of smoke when I’m eating,” smoker and freshman Casey Johnson said.
Freshman Sarah Heins agreed.
“You can kill yourself. You don’t have to kill me with you,” she said.
Others were not pleased, saying the smoke-free ordinance is a violation of rights.
“It’s nice to have a place that you can smoke,” freshman Brandon Dorr said. “But that it’s outlawed in all restaurants is ridiculous. It should be the restaurant’s choice.”