Clearing The Air

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Minnesota releases revenue numbers that verify what we've already known.....smoking bans destroy the hospitality industry

http://www.osa.state.mn.us/Reports/gid/2008/liquor/liquor_08_report.pdf

(Excerpt page 7)
This report provides comparative data on municipal liquor operations owned and operated by Minnesota cities.1 In 2008, 212 Minnesota cities operated 242 municipal liquor stores, with 120 cities operating both on-sale and off-sale liquor establishments and 92 cities restricting their municipally-owned establishments to off-sale liquor stores. While the majority of municipally owned liquor stores are located in Greater Minnesota, 19 cities within the 7-County Metro Area (Metro Area) own and operate liquor establishments.

(Excerpt page 9)
Among on-sale operations, net profits totaled $1.9 million in 2008, which was a decrease of $913,333, or 31.9 percent, from 2007. (On-sale means bar operated by a municipality)

Total net profits for off-sale operations totaled $18.5 million in 2008, which was a decrease of $1.1 million, or 5.6 percent, from 2007 (pg. 7). (Off-sale means liquor store operated by a municipality)

What happened in Minnesota in 2007?.......You guessed it the statewide smoking ban. Municipal Minnesota bars lost 31.9% revenue one year after the smoking ban passed, yet municipal liquor stores; which are unaffected by the ban; only lost 5.6% revenue. Finally Minnesota state auditors report the truth......though you can rest assured they had no idea that their data would be used to verify what most of us have always known......smoking bans destroy business and jobs......period.

Minnesota auditor's report proves the "Freedom to Breathe" Act was a complete failure and only serves to eliminate business and jobs while fulfilling special interests' agenda.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html