MAYOR DELAYS SMOKING BAN

Council Condemns Anti-Gay-Marriage Amendment, Supports Marijuana

Students anticipating smoke-free bars in Madison may have to wait an
extra year.

Before presiding over Tuesday's City Council meeting, Mayor Dave
Cieslewicz requested Monday to delay the proposed ban on smoking in
city restaurants and bars from 2005 until 2006.

His announcement to the Madison Public Health Commission would delay
the ban from beginning in 2005 and push it back to 2006. While
Cieslewicz is in favor of a smoke-free Madison, he said he did not
want to force bars and restaurants to abolish all smoking until 2006,
anticipating problems arising from implementing the ban earlier than
originally planned.

The mayor said he was unsure of numbers regarding those in favor and
those opposed to the ban on the City Council, which could vote on the
smoking ban as soon as mid-April. The announcement from Cieslewicz
came the same day as Ald. Steve Holtzman, the major advocate of the
campaign to ban smoking, held a press conference to propel the issue.

The issue, however, was not discussed at Tuesday's City Council
meeting.

The City Council moved Tuesday night to condemn the constitutional
amendment against gay marriage proposed by President Bush. City
Council president Mike Verveer and Ald. Austin King, who represent
most of Madison's student population, were among the resolution's
strongest supporters. The proposed constitutional amendment would
define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. Eleven
council members were in support, while several abstained. None voted
against it.

"We represent thousands, thousands and thousands of same-sex couples,"
Verveer said.

Those members in support of gay marriage wanted to voice their opinion
for the record.

In his address to the council, Verveer pointed to how many of those
identified as outstanding citizens and heroes would be restricted by
the amendment. He had

recently spoken with many members of the police and fire
departments.

"You would be surprised how many of them are openly, proudly, members
of the gay community," Verveer said.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz also spoke in support of same-sex
marriage.

"I just want people to know that if I could, I would," he said. "I
just hope we can continue to make progress."

Under Wisconsin law, Madison is presently unable to grant marriage
licenses to same-sex couples. For this reason, they do not have the
legal benefits marriage provides. Such benefits include health care
for one's partner and hospital visitation rights.

"This is not a movement for special rights, this is a movement for
equal rights," said Ald. Holtzman.

Several Madison residents addressed the council in support of the
resolution, while only one person spoke against it.

Bob Bush attended Tuesday's meeting to argue against condemning a
constitutional amendment. He believed residents should vote on the
resolution directly.

"If something like this is going to go through, it should go through
like the casino referendum," Bush said.

Ald. Judy Compton also wanted to give residents a chance to express
their opinions. She abstained from voting because she was unsure of
what her constituency wants.

"I haven't done any polling," she said.

Medical Marijuana Week was also passed at Tuesday's meeting with 11 in
favor and five opposed to the week, which will be celebrated March
13-21.