By Steve Bell
Kansas City, MO – A group that has been circulating a petition for a ban on smoking in Kansas City bars and restaurants turned in 6,000 signatures Wednesday, pretty much guaranteeing the ordinance will be on the April ballot. KCUR's Steve Bell reports.
The leader of the petition drive, former City Councilman Jim Rowland, says his group was able to turn in half-again the number or required valid signatures. Rowland says a no-smoking ordinance that includes all bars and restaurants is inevitable.
Jim Rowland: "We believe it's a workplace safety issue, you know, it's inevitable, and it ought to happen sooner rather than later."
Rowland says smoking would be allowed in casinos - on the gambling floors only. That, too, he says, would be banned as soon as bans on casino smoking are passed in Riverside, North Kansas City and Wyandotte County. Steve Bell, KCUR News.