Alderwoman Jenifer Ringwood has written a proposal to Common Council President Jim Noble asking that the City of Kingston ban smoking in all City owned parks and within 50 feet of a City owned building.
"As a representative of the people, I feel we must do all that is within our power to safeguard an individuals' most valued resource - their life," Ringwood said in her memorandum to Noble. "To do less would be negligent on our part."
Some lawmakers feel that smoking should be baned on all City owned property.
I'm personally in favor of this, kids should not be subjected to cigarette smoke or any other smoke while innocently playing at a park or any other City owned property. Kudos to Alderwoman Ringwood who continues to bring forth legislation to improve the quality of life for all Kingstonians.
20 comments:
Do you mean to tell me that this IS the most important issue that this woman can come up with? Does she not see that this city cant even paint the lines on the road correctly?
One of the largest employers in the city is picking up the stakes and running outta town.
The criminals are running the streets.
Gunshots fired weekly.
Gangbangs in our shcools.
A mayor that is falling asleep at the wheel and is not available for comment.
Cant plow the streets after a storm.
And this so called administrator and spokesperson for a ward in this city is worried about someone smoking outside?
I for one dont appreciate the joy in a butt....but this is important right now?
Wow! Jeremy you must have voted for her too?
A perfect example of why this city is falling apart.
The king and his jesters are afraid to pull thier heads out thier asses and see the real issues facing this city.
THATS WHY THEY CANT FIX THEM......
I am a non-smoker who constantly preaches about the dangers of smoking to others while respecting the right of the minority smoking population to do so. Yes, without a doubt, smoking should be banned inside public facilities as indoor air pollution concentrations are far greater than that outdoors. Smoking outside a building in an open space is a totally different scenario as cigarette smoke quickly dissipates into the atmosphere. An affected non-smoking person outdoors can easily distance himself from the offending smoker. Would the next step be banning smoking outside in public places all together? I think not.
The city has 50 parks???? are we talking NYC
If this weren't such a stupid idea it would be laughable. Let's put a new law in place when we can't even enforce the ones currently on the books, like drugs, violence (domestic and other kinds), gangs, guns, hookers, etc. All of these crimes occur in the parks right now. If you don't believe me check it out for yourself. Not only is the law useless and unenforcable but she doesn't even have a clue as to what the punishment for violating will be: a stern warning (with or without harsh words), community service, a fine, jail, public execution. How about dealing with some real issues bringing our city down before putting another useless law on the books?
If folks really want to stop people from smoking why not stop manufacturing and selling the da^^ things?
Frankly, I see anything else as just another distraction issue, and as a means of potentially bringing more fines (for those who don't conform) into the city's piggy bank.
Shut down the providers or leave the consumers alone, will ya? Why should money be made at both ends - the dealers and the penal system - and the smokers be made the scapegoats?
Like the first poster, I think we have more important things to deal with in this city - MUCH more important things! But they will sneak this little stuff by if they can... No doubt about it.
Worried about the kids...
Really?
Shut down the SUPPLIERS.
There is only so much the Common Council can do for the problems Kingston faces. Banning smoking in public places is one of them. I for one do not support a ban on outdoor smoking, but I recognize that an overstatement of the issue gets the subject into the public light and helps raise awareness.
Alderwoman Ringwood may be many things, stupid is not one of them.
For $8,000.00 a year, you are unlikely to come up with a cure for cancer.
Since this topic isn't flying,how about skew Reynold's article with Bonacic bitching about our area being left out of Spitzer's plan? Do you think Bruno and Bonacic obstructing the agenda might have something to do with it? These guys fight against anything getting done in Albany,then bitch that they're not included. Give them anything and they'd bitch and moan. They're pathetic.
Ringwood is just trying to get her name in the paper and assemble some credentials for her next aldermanic run. Perhaps well-intentioned, this law will be like her grafitti one..lots of talk, but no action. She got the law passed for grafitti and we have just as much as before. She should stop trying to pass laws without any teeth.
George
How about a solution focused topic related to the issues that the first poster brought up (specifically, in this case, the problems at KHS)...
Why not hire 20-30 currently unemployed KHS parents (screened for criminal histories, fingerprinted, non-affiliated with any Council Members, School Board Members, Council members, the Mayor, or any folks emeshed in the current GOB network)--- representing a variety of neighborhoods, gender differences, ethnic and racial differences, religious, non-religious and humanistic positions (ALL of the above in equal proportions)...
And pay these folks a LIVING WAGE to provide base-line security (calling in police, as needed) at KHS?
This would be 20-30 more DECENT jobs for City of Kingston residents that desperately NEED THEM.
& These people would represent the STUDENTS and their PARENTS, not the administration or KHS (the entity).
These people could hold regular public forums --- OPEN AND ABOVE BOARD - with the public - on a regular basis.
[They should NOT be under the auspices/power of the school board or City Council; this should be a citizen's group, with the citizen's tax money funding this... (versus the mayor's boots, the superintendent's personal disney land, a mini-Blackwater USA firm, or un-necessary police overtime pay, etc.)
AND it would probably be much CHEAPER - even while being FAIRER - than anything currently in place - or to my knowlege, being considered.
Ideas & additions to this idea (a PRIORITY ISSUE) are welcome.
7:46, never thought about this, but Blaber did say that if we "don't deliver Sennett" we will pay for it dearly.
Lets face it- there are a lot of smokers who are pigs and throw their cigarette butts everywhere. I say dont let people smoke in public parks and maybe cut down on the cigarette butts all over the ground.
11:16-It's more like suffering through not throwing Bonacic out in favor of Zimet. Ulster democrats came out for Sennett so we're covered. If you read the article a spokesperson for UC said we're getting money,just not Bonacic's friends. I'm sure we're not being left out. Just the loudmouthed obstructionists. I wouldn't want to be associated with Bratley.
11:16 - Jeremy didn't say that if we didn't deliver Sennett we'd pay for it, a blogger posted that on the November 2nd blog (Bradley material being inaccurate). By the Dem "leaders" (Sottile, Cahill, Hinchey and Parete) - and the voters too - not supporting Spitzer's, Schumer's, and Clinton's endorsement of Sennett, then Ulster County has basically thumbed its nose and said that they don't care what Eliot, Chuck, and Hillary think. It's doubtful that this is Eliot's idea of retribution because he cared that much about our DA race and was that vengeful. Freeman posters pointed out that Ulster County is not friendly to development and that's why we were passed over - that's more likely the case. But if it keeps on happening, then maybe there is some truth to it - payback's a bitch.
This is a joke. They make all these great laws and then do not enforce them. Just look at the parking meter fiasco and the graffitti. I own a building in midtown that gets painted at least five times a month. I have reported it at least twenty times...nothing is done. I end up cleaning it up myself...I am getting rid of it and moving my small family construction business out of Kingston because it is getting worse never better. The local govenment does nothing to protect the people who work hard here and want to raise there kids. Same with the parking meters. I would be interested to know the amount of tickets written and what the real revenue from those meters are. I think we were all sold a bill of goods by this council. All these laws are great, but we all know that no Kingston Cop is EVER going to ticket someone for smoking in a public park. So get real. This is all rhetoric and you, and anyone else supporting them, are just encouraging this waste of time. There are real issues in this city that need to be dealt with and smoking is really not at the top of the list. How about our schools or maybe do something to attack the crime,...but no we get smoking.
I agree with 12;22 one hundred percent. There is more graffiti than ever around the city.
Graffiti, or "tags" as they're known, are individual specific. Each writer is marking their territory by posting them. Before removing you should always record them, and report the specific tag each and every time it happens. The offender can be pursued then by police with a clear record of monetary expense to the victim. Fighting gang activity includes this front. Don't dismiss it as a nuisance. Gang members shoot each other over these tags. Also, stores that sell the markers and spray cans can be tracked down and store surveillance tapes can identify the culprits. Take the offensive.
i was not aware that Government buildings are not part of the "can't smoke within 50 feet of any building" law.
Its funny but smokers who leave City meetings will have to smoke inside their car and off the property, I guess. Oh and where will all the numerous hospital employees smoke now? They will not even be able to take the unduly "smoke breaks" at City Hall now.
While not a smoker, I am not sure that one can sign a law about smoke-free parks. MOreOver I am not sure how the Kingston Police Department is going to enforce it when we have LARGER crimes like rapes, shooting and burgleries going on.
11:31, graffiti is not necessarily "tags." And is this seriously a priority?!
I thought gang violence was a priority. If you don't want to fix the problem then deal with it in silence. I wouldn't put up with cleaning up spray paint and blood stains. Either get off your asses and solve your problems or stop complaining.
In Woodstock I saw that most merchants nailed up butt cans near their stores and regularly emptied them themselves. No crying for the City to do it just common sense and pride. If only we would stop catering to every whimper and set an example. I even heard business people in Kingston grumble about not having liners for their street litter baskets. Grow up do it yourself!
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