A proposed smoking ban for Erie County has created non-stop news and controversy in this region for the past 8 months. Erie County Judge John Bozza ultimately ruled against the smoking ban, but readers continue to call and write, as they express their opinions -- pro and con -- about the ban.

Some local establishments, including a handful of taverns, have gone ahead and banned smoking. Erie Times-News health reporter David Bruce features several such restaurants in a page 1 story in today's editions, headlined: Clearing the air.

Cris Leszek, manager of the Park Tavern in Lawrence Park, talks about the stress he felt before making the decision on April 14 to ban smoking at his business. Leszek said when his father, Bob Leszek, opened the tavern in 1978, such a move would have been unthinkable.

Bob Leszek said his business back then consisted primarily of customers who worked at the nearby General Electric plant. They would stop after work for a beer, burger and a few smokes. Leszek said that by the end of the night, a gray haze hung over the interior of the tavern.

Father and son, according to Bruce's story, debated at length the question of banning smoking at the Park Tavern. Cris Leszek said he had talked to customers about the topic for months, and he knew he would lose some regulars. "I thought we'd take a hit for the short term, then things would pick up," he said.

But there was no hit, Leszek said. Business, especially the tavern's food business, picked up from day one. "Business is up 8 to 10 percent from this time a year ago," Leszek reports.

The owners of the French Creek Tavern in nearby Findley Lake, N.Y., had a similar experience after New York state forced all restaurants and bars to go smoke free three years ago. Some regulars at the bar left, but the owners found that their food business soared.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has said repeatedly that he will sign legislation to ban smoking at all bars and restaurants -- including casinos -- once state legislators approve such a measure. It's expected to happen by fall.

But the interesting thing about Bruce's report is that many establishments, such as the Park Tavern and others, have gone ahead and made the decision to ban smoking.

-- Kevin Cuneo

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