By John Linfesty Santa Monica
Congratulations, City Council, on passing yet another ridiculous and self-serving law. Personally, I couldn’t care less about the law itself — I don’t smoke, and I’ll freely admit it’s nice not to have to smell smoke in restaurants anymore — but that’s not really the point. The SMPD’s resources are already spread thin. Does their job description now include writing citations to tourists smoking on the Promenade? I’ll bet they are thrilled about that. What are the chances these fines ever get paid from out-of-state violators? What about the homeless? Will they be exempt from this new law, as they are from most other laws in town?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 13, 2006. Read the original PDF.