Smoking Measure Faces Its 1st Test in Camarillo

Camarillo may be the first city in Ventura County to oppose Proposition 188, a statewide initiative backed by a cigarette manufacturer that would nullify local smoking ordinances if it prevails at the polls in November.

The City Council will consider approving a resolution opposing the measure at today’s meeting.

“Despite what Philip Morris may say, this proposition is misleading and I believe its passage will take away our rights to govern on the issue,” Councilwoman Charlotte Craven said. “The part that bothers me the most is that this initiative stipulates that no city or county shall pass an ordinance that is more restrictive. Essentially, they want to tie our hands.”

Proposition 188, if approved by the voters, would let businesses decide whether to permit smoking. Businesses that opt to allow smoking would have to provide adequate ventilation, although standards set forth in the initiative are not designed to be as rigid as are local ordinances.

Camarillo’s smoking ordinance, which was adopted by the council in April, bans smoking in most public places. Smoking is only permitted in establishments in which the owners have built completely separate ventilation systems.

If the initiative prevails, it would also effectively kill a statewide ban on indoor smoking in public places that was passed and signed into law by Gov. Pete Wilson earlier this summer.

But Councilman David Smith, who serves as the other half of the council’s legislative committee with Craven, said he would oppose the resolution.

“I don’t think the City Council has any business legislating against individual rights, even though I personally cannot stand cigarette smoke,” Smith said. “I voted against the original ordinance for that reason and I will have to vote against this resolution for the same reason. I believe it’s important to be consistent.”

Camarillo restaurant owner Pat Johnson said the proposition represented a more reasonable approach to dealing with the issue of secondhand smoke.

“I don’t know what the council is thinking,” said Johnson, owner of ‘Lil Bit ‘O Country restaurant. “We’re still suffering from their decision to implement the ban in the first place. Perhaps they’re afraid that people may vote their own minds and support the proposition.”

Philip Morris Inc. is, so far, alone among tobacco companies in its support of the proposition. The tobacco giant paid more than $490,000 to workers to gather signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Representatives of Philip Morris referred all requests for comments to the committee sponsoring the initiative. Lee Stitzenberger, chief spokesman for Californians for Statewide Smoking Restrictions, could not be reached for comment.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors, which imposed a smoking ordinance in public places in unincorporated county areas, also is considering a resolution opposing Proposition 188.

“We feel that Proposition 188 is nothing but a ruse by Philip Morris to negate all (local) smoking ordinances throughout the state,” said Penny Bohannon, deputy chief administrative officer for the county. “It’s a tobacco-supported measure that contains a lot of inaccurate information.”

Bohannon said she will bring a resolution against the proposition to the board at its Oct. 11 meeting.

Although barred in some cases by their own internal policies against taking positions on statewide political issues, the cities of Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Moorpark, Simi Valley and Ojai--all of whom have some form of public smoking ban--have so far decided not to oppose the proposition.

The Camarillo City Council will consider the issue at its meeting at 5 p.m. today at City Hall.