Boone Liberty Coalition

Recent News

Boone Liberty Coalition Denounces Celebration Of Smoking Ban (January 8, 2008)

The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) feels it is inappropriate for CASE1 and SAFE2 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the smoking ban by holding a live concert at the Blue Note the evening of Wednesday, January 9th. The ban has not produced any noticeable health benefits for the City while creating many hardships. More ...

Boone Liberty Coalition Urges The City Council To Repeal The Smoking Ban In Favor Of Signage (December 19, 2007)

The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) has formally asked the Columbia City Council to repeal the smoking ban. “With nearly a year to judge its impact, we’ve seen how this ordinance has been a disaster for the city,” said Greg Rennier, Chairman of the BLC. More ...

Study: Smoking ban hurts sales - Federal Reserve report cites 5 percent decline. (December 12, 2007)

A recent economic study of Columbia restaurant and bar sales since the smoking ban went into effect in January of 2007 shows a 5% decline in sales due to the smoking ban.

• Study: Smoking ban hurts sales - Columbia Daily Tribune
• Another bar is up in smoke - Colosseum to close, blames smoking ban.
• The Economic Impact of a Smoking Ban in Columbia, Missouri: A Preliminary Analysis of Sales Tax Data - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Boone Liberty Coalition Eminent Domain Reform Petition At NU vs MU Football Game (October 5, 2007)

The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) will be petitioning at the Nebraska vs Missouri football game prior to the Saturday October 6th 8:15PM kickoff at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium. The BLC will be teaming up with Missouri Citizens for Property Rights to gather signatures for petitions to amend the Missouri Constitution to prevent the use of eminent domain for private development. More ...

Bar owners to gather petition signatures Sunday July 8 (July 3, 2007)

Two local bar owners will be gathering signatures for the petition to repeal the smoking ban Sunday July 8th. They will be at the intersection of Broadway and Providence between 8AM and 4PM. Betty Hamilton of The Tiger Club and Joel of Otto's are organizing the petition drive. Please stop by Sunday and say hi, sign the petition or volunteer to help.

Columbia Billiards and Rack 'n' Roll to close, smoking ban blamed (June 8, 2007)

Two more business closings have been announced. Columbia Billiards and Rack 'n' Roll will be closing this month. The owners, Phil & Maggie Spudich claim their business is down 40% since the smoking ban went into effect. Here are links to news articles on the closures:

• Owner decides to scratch billiard businesses
• Smoking Ban Closes Business' Doors
• Ban Closes Business

Bull Pen Cafe and Lou's Palace closed March 31st (March 31, 2007)

The first casualties of the smoking ban closed there doors March 31st. The Bull Pen Cafe will close its doors after 57 years in business. Lou's Palace will close its doors after more than 20 years in business. Both claim that loss of business from the smoking ban was the cause. Here are links to news articles on their closure:

• Lou's Palace calling it quits - Owner blames city's new smoking ban.
• Bull Pen bids goodbye - Owner blames smoking ban.

Boone Liberty Coalition Initiative Petition To Reform Columbia's Eminent Domain Policy (March 12, 2007)

The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) has started a petition campaign to refine the eminent domain ordinance that currently exists in the City of Columbia. This reformation will take the form of an ordinance that the City Council can either accept or send to the ballot for the people to decide. More ...

Petition to Repeal the Restaurant/Bar Smoking Ban (February 3, 2007)

A group of bar owners led by Betty Hamilton of the Tiger Club and Becky Reynold of Cody's have launched a petition to repeal the recent changes to the Columbia Smoking Ordinance which banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. More ...

City Council Passes Smoking Ban 4-3 (October 15, 2006)

In a 4-3 vote the Columbia City Council passed the new smoking ordinance which will ban smoking in all bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, bingo halls, and most private membership clubs. The ordinance was amended to allow smoking in up to 50% of an outdoor patio. The new ordinance will go into effect January 9th, 2007.

The Boone Liberty Coalition would like to thank all the business owners, employees and residents of Columbia who supported our effort to try and stop the smoking ban over the last 19 months.

Thank you for all your phone calls and e-mails since the smoking ban passed.

Boone Liberty Coalition Twilight Festival Table (September 9, 2006)

The Boone Liberty Coalition is setting up a table during the Columbia Twilight Festival. The Twilight Festival runs from 6-8PM each Thursday evening in September. The Boone Liberty Coalition table is on 10th Street just North of Broadway. Stop by and say hello if you are in town Thursday evenings in September. Here is a picture of our table September 7th.

Boone Liberty Coalition Releases Position Paper To The Public (September 7, 2006)

The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) has released to the public a position paper that was previously shared only with City Council members. This document -- available at -- http://booneliberty.org/StopTheBan/BooneLibertySmokingBan.pdf -- outlines in greater detail the four primary reasons we are opposed to the proposed smoking ban: More ...

Surgeon General and Anti-Smoking Groups Sensationalizing Facts to the Point of Inaccuracy; Why?(July 7, 2006)

Michael Siegel is a physician who specializes in preventive medicine and public health. He has 20 years of experience in tobacco control, primarily as a researcher. In the last few years he has become critical of how anti-smoking groups mislead the public on the health hazards of secondhand smoke. He has a blog where he comments on all of the misleading information the anti-smoking groups release. Well worth a read at http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/.

A Pack of Lies - The surgeon general hypes the hazards of secondhand smoke. (July 5, 2006)

An article from Reason Online Magazine has an excellent response to the recent Surgeon General report on secondhand smoke. From the article:

But you may want to look elsewhere for medical advice. Carmona is so intent on promoting smoking bans -- a key element of the government's campaign to reduce cigarette consumption -- that he absurdly exaggerates the hazards of secondhand smoke, hoping to generate enough public alarm to banish smokers from every location outside the home.

As the report itself makes clear, there is no evidence that brief, transient exposure to secondhand smoke has any effect on your chance of developing heart disease or lung cancer. The studies that link secondhand smoke to these illnesses involve intense, long-term exposure, typically among people who have lived with smokers for decades.

Read the complete article.

Study Shows That 80% Of Columbia's Restaurant Could Be Smoke-free In Six Years (May 24, 2006)

A recent census-type survey of Columbia restaurants by the Boone Liberty Coalition supported their position that the smoking ban is unnecessary in Columbia: More ...

Board of Health finalizes smoking ordinance - removes exemption for outside dining areas (April 11, 2006)

The Columbia Boone County Board of Health approved a final draft of the proposed smoking ordinance. An exemption for outdoor dining areas was removed at the last minute.

The Board of Health then voted to send a report to the City Council with their new smoking ordinance recommendations. The vote was 6-2 with Jean Pax and Nathan Voris the two dissenting votes. Chairman Michael Szewczyk will draft a final report along with a dissenting opinion from Nathan Voris which will be forwarded to the City Council in the next few weeks.

Once the City Council receives the report from the Board of Health they can take no action or put it on the agenda for the City Council.

Smoking ordinance change unnecessary - The free market is working (February 11, 2006)

Recent newspaper articles indicate that the Board of Health continues its push for an expanded smoking ban in Columbia. The Boone Liberty Coalition remains opposed to this anti-choice smoking law. More ...

Boone Liberty Coalition Will Oppose Columbia's Smoking Ban (March 4, 2005)

A group of local citizens has formed the Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) to be an advocate for personal liberty and economic freedom in Boone County Missouri. The BLC will reach out to individuals, organizations and businesses to form coalitions for specific issues. More...

BLC ramps up to fight Columbia Restaurant/Bar Smoking Ban (March 3rd)

The first issue the BLC decided to tackle is the proposed Restaurant/Bar Smoking Ban in Columbia being pushed by the Boone County Coalition for Tobacco Concerns. Please see the Stop The Ban section of the website for more information.

Boone Liberty Coalition Founded (February 28, 2005)

Individuals in Boone County and Columbia Missouri felt there was a need for an organization which could be an advocate on issues affecting personal liberty and economic freedom. They founded The Boone Liberty Coalition (BLC) in February of 2005. See our Mission Statement for more information.