Monday, September 12 2011
One Local Mayor Takes a Stand, and Becomes a Model for Others
By Glynn Loope, Exec. Dir. | Cigar Rights of America
With the flurry of sixty-seven pieces of state legislation since January, over a dozen local ordinances, and then the threat of FDA regulation of cigars upon us, some issues and stories that ought to be heard, get put on the back burner. This was one of them, but it's a story that deserves to be told. Anytime that we can highlight political leadership for our cause, we must.
As you know, we have to spend a great deal of time pointing out the flawed policy decisions made by elected officials at all levels of government. Far too many of those in office pander to the tune of political correctness just for the sake of the next election. We found one that doesn't.
With two combat tours of Vietnam , a veteran of the United States Navy, and now giving back to his community as a City Councilman since 1996 and Mayor since 2000, Randy Voepel knows something about principle – and the City of Santee, California is better for it. With a population of 54,700, the City of Santee is located in San Diego County, Mayor Voepel provides service on over eight local government and community organizations.
Now, the matter at hand: The American Lung Association (ALA) has their noted “Report Card” with which they ‘rate' the policies of state and local governments with regard to tobacco control. There seems to be no science to their Report Card. They pass judgment according to their political agenda, and then use the Report Card to compel [bully] governing bodies to adopt their political agenda.
This year, the ALA gave the City of Santee an “F” for tobacco control. They were attacked on the points of tobacco control, outdoor smoking, smoke-free housing, and reducing sales of tobacco, i.e., tax levels. Well, Mayor Voepel didn't like the tone of the Report Card. Unlike many in such a position, he wrote them back. This is where it gets interesting.
Mayor Voepel wrote the following, “They (ALA) may see it as a grade of “F” from their perspective, as our being graded a failure; I see this grade of “F” from our perspective as being the highest grade, for FREEDOM, we could earn. In Santee , we believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our City Council thinks long and hard before we restrict or take away one's freedom...If someone wants to light up in a park or public, that's fine. If someone else complains, I expect the smoker to move away or put the thing out. We do allow smoking in public places, and restaurants have the freedom to pick or choose having patio smoking. Their FREEDOM of choice."
He went on to say, “Youth that buy tobacco products are in violation of the law and we enforce the law aggressively...and we don't need a new tax on merchants t extort money from them.” He continued, “Multi-tenant housing is private property. The property owners have the FREEDOM to set the smoking policy as they see fit. If renters don't like the policy, they move out or do not rent in the first place. The ALA is asking me to endorse having 75% of the rental units as non-smoking by law. I would never pass a law either way! My bottom line is we don't need municipal government to play nanny.”
He said in closing, “It would be very easy for me as mayor to be politically correct at worse, or ignore ALA at best – not my style. The above reasons are why I take great pride in our “F” for FREEDOM score. I have the FREEDOM to disagree with them. Unless I am voted out of office or the majority of the Santee City Council votes to take away another dwindling FREE DOM by cracking down on smokers, I will always stand tall for less government intrusion in our lives. Respectfully submitted – Randy Voepel, Mayor of the Freedom loving City of Santee.”
Does that give you chills?! Just when you're about to lose faith (New York 's Mayor Bloomberg, Boston 's Mayor Menino, and now Governor Daniels of Indiana, etc., etc.), along comes a gentleman like Mayor Randy Voepel.
The local response was also amazing. Comments such as: “Finally a politician that understands”; “Thank you Mayor Voepel”; “Give Mayor Voepel a Grade ‘A' for American”; “We need more common sense like that in this country, and especially in Washington”; “Good for you, Mayor. Men who refused to grovel before threats made this country great in the past. The country needs more like you today.”
We could go on, and they did, with accolades for Mayor Voepel. If he can demonstrate such leadership, it's incumbent upon each one of us to do the same. When a mayor like Randy Voepel comes under attack for standing up for freedom, write a letter to the editor in their defense. When a state legislator votes against rolling back liberty, vote for them on Election Day. When CRA asks for your voice on a petition to Congress to block FDA regulation of cigars, sign it and make your voice heard.
Mayor Voepel and others like him can not do it alone. We need to stand with them. That, is what Cigar Rights of America is all about.
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