News Story

Contest Winner

In the words of their sponsor, saving Michigan from a "clear and present danger" of smoking in restaurants was the principle behind the very first bills ever introduced by state Rep. Paul Scott, R-Grand Blanc. House Bill 4099 proposes to make it illegal for the owner of virtually any business open to the public to allow smoking, and House Bill 4100 would put out of business any restaurant that permits patrons to smoke. The proposals were profiled in the January/February 2009 issue of Michigan Capitol Confidential. In a statement to the media, Scott noted that there would be "no exceptions" to his ban.

But Mr. Charles Nunez, a Michigan Capitol Confidential reader from Perry, Mich., took exception to the lawmaker's statements and wrote him a letter to express his concerns. His letter and a response from Rep. Scott are reproduced on this page. This makes Mr. Nunez yet another winner of the Michigan Capitol Confidential letter-writing contest. He will win a framed original of the cartoon from the front page of the July/August 2008 issue. Readers who mention Michigan Capitol Confidential when writing to lawmakers or newspapers are encouraged to send us their submissions.

Letter from Mr. Charles Nunez to Representative Paul Scott - click to enlarge

Letter from Representative Paul Scott to Mr. Charles Nunez - click to enlarge

The contest will continue with winners announced periodically in forthcoming issues of Michigan Capitol Confidential. Entries must be either a note to a lawmaker or a published letter in a newspaper, and they must also reference Michigan Capitol Confidential.

Subscribers may submit entries to:

Michigan Capitol Confidential
c/o Contest
140 West Main Street
P.O. Box 568
Midland, MI 48640

-or- micapcon@mackinac.org

Please remember to include your own name, address and contact information with the entry.

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.