Mid-Michigan Dining

I mentioned this in comments last week and I had heard some rumblings, but I was hoping it wasn’t true.  According to MIRS News this morning, the smoking ban is hinging on one thing….the ability for a business to buy their way out of it.

House Speaker Andy Dillon plans to bring the legislation up next week with an addition that would allow business to buy their way out of enforcing it.

I think this is crap.  You shouldn’t be able to buy your way out of a law.  My hope is that this will be a huge fee.  I initially said in comments nothing short of $10,000 a year, but the more I think about it, the more I tend to like the idea of 1/4 of gross receipts.  Think of the money the state could get from the Detroit casinos if they charge a 1/4 of all money taken in to the casino….not a 1/4 of profits, but a 1/4 of receipts.  That would deter most bars and restaurants from taking advantage of the buyout, but would still, probably, give the casino’s the exemption they’ve been asking for.