To the editor:

How is it that county residents are not allowed to decide about the smoking ban? I have breakfast every morning and dinner at least three days a week in restaurants in Lawrence. I spend my money and pay taxes on it all. This is in addition to buying my food and supplies in Lawrence every day, as do many people in our county.

So if rural and county residents do not count in deciding if there should be a smoking ban, maybe the city of Lawrence needs to get their taxes somewhere else.

A lot of business owners do not live in the city, but they also pay taxes in Lawrence.

How many city residents pay or eat out every day? The county folks count too, even if the mayor or commissioners don’t think they do.

I may not be a smoker, but I have spent my money in this town. But as of July 1 I will spend most of mine elsewhere.

Why should I spend it where I don’t matter?

Joyce Boyd,

Lawrence