Lia Nistler’s Letter to the Editor, Eden Valley Journal Patriot. (We conducted the poll in question.)
Meeker County Public Health, Citizens for Smoke-Free Meeker County and the Meeker County Memorial Hospital have been actively pursuing and pushing for a Smoke-Free Ordinance for Meeker County. These organizations claim in press releases, headlines and radio advertising, that a survey of 400 registered voters in Meeker County shows the majority of Meeker County residents would support a countywide ordinance prohibiting smoking in workplaces.
I would like everyone to do the math. Get ready to crunch the numbers!
A call to the Meeker County Auditor, Barb Loch, revealed that in the last election (2004) there were 13,040 registered voters in Meeker County. 400 is only a little over 3% of that total. To claim a majority of the Meeker County registered voters, what is needed is one-half of 13,040, or 6520 plus 1. This is not a majority and far from a majority.
If you do the math according to the lead sentence from a press release/news article which appeared in the West Central Tribune on 1/5/05-reading "Nearly three fourths of Meeker County Residents support a county-wide ordinance prohibiting smoking in workplaces," three-fourths of 400 is 300. This drops the percentage to just under 2.5% of 13,040. This is still not a majority and even further from a majority.
We do not want to forget the unregistered voters. They are residents of Meeker County too!
According to the US Census Bureau (Minnesota Quick Facts from the Internet Website) the 2003 estimate of resident population in Meeker County is 23,205. We will use their total population from the year 2,000, which is 22,644. Factor in and take away the 27% for persons under 18, for the year 2000 and that leaves 16,530 residents over the ages of 18. I for one know that 2.5% (or three-fourths of the 400 registered voters who were polled) are not the majority of Meeker County Residents and I am sure others will agree.
This is misleading information, that the above organizations are using, to created their messages and passing it off as representing support for this ordinance by the majority of residents of Meeker County.
I'm going to need to see some proof that someone actually wrote that letter. People that ignorant don't write letters to editors, right?
As the link I provided shows, the paper doesn't have a website. Also, I doubt we'll get a hard copy. But suffice it to say that we have to write a press release for CTFK in response.
This press release from the Minnesota Medical Association doesn't make any claim about "the majority of Meeker County residents."
The MMA's release could probably use some better language to indicate that the 400 respondents are a random sample of Meeker County registered voters, but besides that bit I don't see any reason for the editorial screed against the press release. The letter writer doesn't understand survey principles, which is a fairly common problem.
You just usually don't find people who advertise their lack of understanding in such a public manner!
This press release from the Minnesota Medical Association doesn't make any claim about "the majority of Meeker County residents."
Well, except for the title:
"Meeker County Voters Support Smoking Ban" ;)
Just so your posters know : I am not ignorant. I am a small business owner in Meeker County. My husband and I have owned our bar/no restaurant for 5 years now. We bought it for our retirement when he can retire from his current job - he works as a Laborer in the Concrete Construction field. This is seasonal work - as this is Minne-snow-ta. We need his primiary income just to keep our bar going. I do not smoke ciggarettes. I also do not care to drink - just ask my friends.
Grant Money is being used to BUY A SMOKING BAN IN MEEKER COUNTY.
I am also a BIG FAN of the West Wing. I wish they'd hurry up and release season 4 & 5 on DVD!!
Most of the headlines and advertisements based on this poll and placed in the area newspapers stated:
"88% of Voters Agree: All Meeker County workers should be protected from exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace." There was NO VOTE - It was a random sample poll of SOME of the registered voters. If you pay for a poll, you get the results you paid for.
I am glad I live in a democracy and the last general election was not done by SAMPLE POLL!! Is that where we're headed??
I would like to post that we have gained overwhelming support AGAINST the proposed Meeker County Smoking Ban. WIHTOUT THE GRANT MONEY THAT PAID FOR YOUR POLL!! AND IN 6 WEEKS!
Unanimous support from the cities of Grove City, Eden Valley, Watkins, Litchfield (The county seat!) and all members present from the City of Cosmos (one was absent) voted against the Smoking ban. The little town of Kingston also is against a Smoking Ban - as one member abstained from Voting because they are part of the Rally Committee for ABATE which brings thousands of dollars to Meeker County every September - and the County Commissioners are sure Kissing A** to this group to keep their event in Meeker County. If any smoking ban is inacted -this group is leaving. Big $$$ Leaving. Poll the businesses who benefit from this event ONCE A YEAR. It's the biggest day around for some!
We have unanimous support from the Litchfield VFW, Litchfield American Legion, Litchfield Chamber of Commerce, Wat-Kim-Valley VFW, Watkins Lions, Eden Valley Lions - these are the organizations that make hundreds of thousands of Charitable DONATIONS INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. You watch the people that come into our establishments and play pull-tabs (charitable gambling) and you will soon see the ones who play the most and stay the longest are the people who smoke.
Meeker County is a RURAL county - we do not have franchise restaurants or bars like Perkins, Denny's, TGI Fridays or Applebees. Our reataurants and bars are owned by INDIVIDUALS - we are SMALL BUSINESSES. Our customer base is maybe up to 50-100 customers a day - REGULAR CUSTOMERS and it includes the MAJORITY who happen to smoke. We draw our customers from our immediate towns. The majority do not travel more than 10 miles to visit us. Many of our residents WORK OUTSIDE the county - in St. Cloud, Willmar, Hutchinson or the Twin Cities. We do not have a Convention Center or Conference Center. We do not have Holiday Inn's, Marriotts, Radissons. We do not DRAW from the neighboring Counties for much business - actually, like the workforce - some of our business (Dr's, Dentist's, Discount Grocery Shopping) goes to those listed neighboring Cities.
So take your Washington DC poll and shove it. We already have over 800 signatures against a smoking ban from our customers and employees - who are well over 97% against a smoking ban. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY YOUR POLL. I can sit at home too and tell others what to do.
Let the Public speak with their MONEY - we do have Smoke-Free alternatives in Meeker County. And if the Anti-tobbacco want a smoke-free bar to go to - they should build one themselves. There are alot of empty storefronts in our small towns screaminig for business.
The Litchfield VFW - with full intention of going smoke free - LOST MONEY on the many smoke-free event nights they had because the Anti-smokers will NOT change their habits and spend money to patronize a place which is smoke-free. They brought in Bands not Karoke - to entertain these people because that is what they were whining for. They did not continue to show up and attendance declined.
The American Legion however claims this is the best promotion they have run! Their revenues were up every night the VFW was smoke-free.
What is happening here is Meeker County is being made into an ISLAND - surrounded by Stearns, McLeod, Kandiyohi with the Bigger Cities. This is where our revenue will go - to counties that allow smoking. The City of Eden Valley has the county line running right through it. One bar sits in Meeker County and will be smoke free if this passes. The Other bar is just waiting like a vulture - only two blocks away - sitting in Stearns County and will not be affected. Unfair? Yes. There were no questions about that in your poll. I bet people would change their tune.
So, unless you come visit us here in Meeker County - and spend some time with us who own the bars and small restaurants - don't play us off as SECOND CLASS CITIZENS!! We are people. WE ARE NOT THE ENEMY. THE CIGGARETTE IS THE ENEMY! DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON US SMALL BUSINESSES!! Of course the tax revenue from the ciggarette is TOO important to take away. We'll just kill the small businesses that have PEOPLE WHO SMOKE as their customer base and take away their livlihoods - businesses that have been operating and contributing as part of these little communities for 5,10 to well over 50 years - as our bar has been a part of Watkins since the 1940's.
The Meeker County ban passed. End of discussion! Let's all have a drink and enjoy some smokefree air.