Austin vs. San Antonio? (Houston, Alamo: unemployment rate, theater, universities)

[MdTexas]

In regards to the smoking issue:


I rarely see smoking in San Antonio. I see alot more of it in Austin. San Antonio's colleges do not allow smoking on most campuses ( Alamo Community Colleges ) while Austin DOES allow smoking at there campuses (ACC).

Don't know where the person has been who stated smoking is bad in SA, but I sure RARELY see it from my experience.

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

Okay i guess so. San Antonio has a larger population, and Austin has a higher cost of living. Arguments on both sides of the fence, as far as pin pointing the reason for the small gap.

Houston Strategies: Comparing Texas' Big 4 Metro Economies

[eepstein]

Since I have been to San Antonio twice in the 7 years ive lived in the Austin area, I can't really speak about SA. But I do know that the Austin metro is a HEAVY smoking area. I don't recall ever living anywhere else where more people smoked. Also, do we remember how the city was in an absolute uproar when the no smoking in restaurants was passed (after about 75% of the rest of the country already did it) back in 2005??. A good number of bars in Austin still ignore the ban because it's not enforced in the least. (or very loosly) I remember Forbes doing a segment on "best cities for smokers" a while back. I was actually quite surprised that Austin didn't make that list. And Colorado Springs--whoooo, that was a smoked filled place too!!

Originally Posted by MdTexas

In regards to the smoking issue:


I rarely see smoking in San Antonio. I see alot more of it in Austin. San Antonio's colleges do not allow smoking on most campuses ( Alamo Community Colleges ) while Austin DOES allow smoking at there campuses (ACC).

Don't know where the person has been who stated smoking is bad in SA, but I sure RARELY see it from my experience.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by MdTexas

In regards to the smoking issue:


I rarely see smoking in San Antonio. I see alot more of it in Austin. San Antonio's colleges do not allow smoking on most campuses ( Alamo Community Colleges ) while Austin DOES allow smoking at there campuses (ACC).

Don't know where the person has been who stated smoking is bad in SA, but I sure RARELY see it from my experience.

Flat out wrong. All ACC campuses are non-smoking.

Student Handbook, 2009-2010: Health & Safety (http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/health2.php - broken link)

I only see smoking in Austin in bars and in entertainment venues or occasionally people in their cars.

Smoking has long been banned in almost all Austin public places including restaurants.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Since I have been to San Antonio twice in the 7 years ive lived in the Austin area, I can't really speak about SA. But I do know that the Austin metro is a HEAVY smoking area. I don't recall ever living anywhere else where more people smoked. Also, do we remember how the city was in an absolute uproar when the no smoking in restaurants was passed (after about 75% of the rest of the country already did it) back in 2005??. A good number of bars in Austin still ignore the ban because it's not enforced in the least. (or very loosly) I remember Forbes doing a segment on "best cities for smokers" a while back. I was actually quite surprised that Austin didn't make that list. And Colorado Springs--whoooo, that was a smoked filled place too!!

Austin banned smoking in ALL public places before any of the other major Texas cities. San Antonio had a partial ban before Austin did, but its coverage was not as wide (and is still not as comprehensive). Houston and Dallas were notable laggards.

List of smoking bans in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you pay attention to restaurant or smoking ban legislation - the business owners always fight like hell against them. The fight in NYC was huge. But they lose and their business usually returns.

You are simply mistaken if you think Austin was late to the party. The Northeast and the West Coast, as usual, were early adopters of smoking bans. But Austin was early for Texas. The Southeast has been a laggard, as expected since it is tobacco country. But even now much of Virginia bans smoking in public places. Fly through St. Louis though, you will still see smoking lounges in the airport.

Las Vegas may be the king of the hill in the US now for smokers.

In general I consider all major metros in Texas to be largely smoking free in public places.

[eepstein]

That is false sir. El Paso had a far stricter ordinance several years before Austin ever did. If I recall, Austin had a very weak ordinance back in 2002 that said you could smoke anywhere as long as it was after 9pm?? Or some rediculous conservative law like that. Even today, the ban is far more watered down than nearly every other ban in the country. I suspect there is more enforcement in restaurants, but in bars forget it. The bars in Austin are as smokey as any casino in Las Vegas. Besides, the watered down ban of today was just BARELY passed by like 52% of voters. That says two things to me. Large population who doesn't give a damn about health, and a heavily conservative population that doesn't want the government telling them what to do. Yes THIS vote was from citizens of AUSTIN!! Imagine that!!

Both Dallas and Houston have stronger bans than Austin does. SA I think is the laggard you are speaking of.

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Austin banned smoking in ALL public places before any of the other major Texas cities. San Antonio had a partial ban before Austin did, but its coverage was not as wide (and is still not as comprehensive). Houston and Dallas were notable laggards.

List of smoking bans in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you pay attention to restaurant or smoking ban legislation - the business owners always fight like hell against them. The fight in NYC was huge. But they lose and their business usually returns.

You are simply mistaken if you think Austin was late to the party. The Northeast and the West Coast, as usual, were early adopters of smoking bans. But Austin was early for Texas. The Southeast has been a laggard, as expected since it is tobacco country. But even now much of Virginia bans smoking in public places. Fly through St. Louis though, you will still see smoking lounges in the airport.

Las Vegas may be the king of the hill in the US now for smokers.

In general I consider all major metros in Texas to be largely smoking free in public places.

[hoffdano]

El Paso doesn't usually get included in the list of large Texas cities. That is why I didn't include it.

If you read the list you'll see that

Austin = Houston = Dallas on the scope of their smoking ban.

Austin's ban was in 2005, Houston's was 2007, and Dallas in 2009.

San Antonio's ban does not include a number of places including billiard halls and bingo clubs.

As for enforcement - I can't say much about bars since I am not often in a place that is purely a bar. But in smaller indoor music venues I have not witnessed any smoking. You must be joking though if you think Houston or Dallas enforce these laws any better than Austin does.

As for 52% of the voters agreeing to the ban - only in Austin was it a public vote. Other bans were imposed by their city governments. I don't think you can conclude anything about the views of the Austin voters vs. other cities.

Count me as a lifelong non-smoker who occasionally wrestles with the idea of telling a private business owner what he can and cannot do with his business. I end up siding with the bans because of the second hand smoke issue for the business's workers.

[Scitats]

Originally Posted by MdTexas

In regards to the smoking issue:


I rarely see smoking in San Antonio. I see alot more of it in Austin. San Antonio's colleges do not allow smoking on most campuses ( Alamo Community Colleges ) while Austin DOES allow smoking at there campuses (ACC).

Don't know where the person has been who stated smoking is bad in SA, but I sure RARELY see it from my experience.

San Antonio's biggest college campus, UTSA, allows smoking on campus. You forgot that one.

[MdTexas]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Flat out wrong. All ACC campuses are non-smoking.

Student Handbook, 2009-2010: Health & Safety (http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/health2.php - broken link)

I only see smoking in Austin in bars and in entertainment venues or occasionally people in their cars.

Smoking has long been banned in almost all Austin public places including restaurants.

Flat out wrong? Did you read the handbook well enough?

It says within 15 feet of the building in the handbook. That means you can smoke on campus like in the courtyard of the school as long as it is within 15 feet.

Here is the exact quote.

Smoking is not allowed inside the facility, including corridors and restrooms, or within 15 feet of the entrances.

I am not familiar with UTSA, but for Alamo Community Colleges you can NOT smoke on campus. No courtyards, parking lots etc. If you go to Austin Community College then you CAN smoke on campus as long as it is within 15 feet of an entrance.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Austin = Houston = Dallas on the scope of their smoking ban.

Austin's ban was in 2005, Houston's was 2007, and Dallas in 2009.

Dallas didn't have a ban until last year? That's amazing...