WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau’s City Council voted down a proposed smoking ban in city parks at their meeting Tuesday night.
Alderperson Lisa Rasmussen says she believes a full ban in all parks was too much too quick.
She said, “If you’re to a point with an issue where you have to go to a full-time ban you should be able to tell the public we tried this and it didn’t work or we tried this and it didn’t work. We didn’t even do that.”
Alderperson Tom Neal offered a comparison for those who felt a total ban was too much.
“We cannot smoke cigarettes on school property,” said Neal. “Now, why not? It’s not just that minors can’t do it. Nobody can do it. That’s a total ban. It’s there. Nobody seems to be to concerned about it.”
Alderperson Romey Wagner compared approving the smoking ban to now allowing smoking in his own home.
“When my brothers come to my house they know we don’t smoke in my house. They respect that and they go smoke some place they can. They don’t stop coming to my house because we banned smoking at it,” said Wagner.
The council narrowly voted down the ban by a 6-5 vote.
