Jump to full article: New York Daily News, 2002-10-03
Author: MICHAEL SAUL / DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Intro: City Council Speaker Gifford Miller - who has coyly refused to back Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to ban smoking in all city restaurants in bars - made a written pledge to support similar legislation last year, the Daily News has learned.
During his re-election campaign, Miller signed a questionnaire promising to support legislation for smoke-free restaurants, bars, nightclubs, bowling alleys, bingo parlors and pool halls.
"The questionnaire is not the bill," said Chris Policano, Miller's spokesman. "The speaker has not yet come to a position on that bill ... He is respecting the legislative process."
Miller (D-Manhattan) is one of 18 sitting Council members who pledged during their campaigns to make virtually all New York City workplaces smoke-free.
So far, nine of those who signed the questionnaire and seven additional Council members are listed as sponsors of Bloomberg's bill.
That means, if all 18 Council members, including Miller, stick to their election-year promises, Bloomberg has already rounded up 25 votes - almost enough on the 51-member Council to enact the most sweeping anti-smoking legislation in city history.
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