Smoking Amendment Stalls : Braude Defaulted on Vote Trade-Off, Finn Charges

Los Angeles City Councilman Howard Finn accused fellow Councilman Marvin Braude on Friday of reneging on a deal the two had struck in which Finn voted for Braude’s anti-smoking ordinance.

In exchange, Braude promised to support an amendment to the ordinance drafted by Finn that would allow smoking in restrooms if there is more than one to a floor, Finn said.

Braude denied the charge. The disagreement between the two San Fernando Valley representatives surfaced during the council’s consideration of Finn’s amendment.

Under a section of the law that took effect Dec. 14, smoking is prohibited in all restrooms in the workplace. Another section of the law requiring employers to set up no-smoking areas in work areas does not take effect until mid-April.

At Friday’s meeting, Finn objected to a recommendation by a council committee to take no action on his proposed amendment. The council eventually sent the issue back to its Public Health, Human Resources and Senior Citizens Committee for further consideration.

Finn said that Braude, author of the anti-smoking law, promised him during council consideration of the ordinance last fall to support his amendment if Finn would introduce it later--and vote for the no-smoking ordinance. Finn said that Braude feared that the amendment would trigger a flood of other changes that would weaken the law.

“It’s wrong to make a promise for a vote and not follow through on it,” Finn complained.

“It’s a breach of faith,” he said, vowing never again to delay seeking any changes he wants in a measure before voting for it.

Braude, however, contended that he never made such a promise. Instead, he asserted, “I said to Mr. Finn we would work out any problems that arise.”

He added that he has not received any complaints from employers about the ordinance’s prohibition on smoking in restrooms.