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The Litter Question
NYC C.L.A.S.H. Challenges
Smoking Ban on Beaches and in Parks Proposal
Mayor Bloomberg's responses to this proposal (and cigarette
taxes). The contradictions are deafening!
(1)
When asked about this
on June 10th, this was Bloomberg's reply
(cut from a NY1
News report):
"I do not think
we should prevent people from smoking. If they want to kill themselves
let them do it. I think that's part of basic freedoms in this country."
On September 16th, as
reported
by the NY Post, Bloomberg said this:
"This city
is not walking away from our commitment to make it as difficult and as
expensive to smoke as we possibly can,
and also to
spend every ounce of intellectual capital we have [to stop smoking]."
**NOTE**
Mayor
Bloomberg unwittingly admitting, by answering about smokERS and not smoke,
that the real intent of this ban
is
the anti-smokers' quest to bend smokERs to their will while using "exposure"
as a skirt to hide behind.
(2)
On September 16th, when
asked about the impact this ban would have on cigarette tax collections
since anti-smokers allege bans reduce smoking, Bloomberg said this as reported
by the NY Post:
"It would be
wonderful if we didn't have any tobacco-tax revenue. Why can't you
get that through your mind?"
On September 17th, on
the other hot topic of collecting the cigarette tax from the Indian reservations,
Bloomberg said this as reported
by the NY Post:
"The mayor
added that the sales of untaxed smokes last year cost the city $1 billion
in 'revenue that we could have used to pay teachers,
firefighters
and police officers during these tough times. So when you read about
the governor saying that he's going to lay off people,
when you read
about the city saying we can't afford a workforce this size, this is one
of the reasons why we can't afford it,' Bloomberg said."