Ron Huldai, yesterday, in his speech at the old-Yafo trainstation / © Tel Aviv Fever
HOT NEWS: I just watched, a few minutes ago on Channel 22 (17:45 – 18:30) mayor Ron Huldai in ‘Meet the Press’.
Some main points:
On the question how he feels today (Ron was born in kibbutz Hulda, near Rehovot): “I always be proud to be born in kibbutz Hulda, but today I am a Telavivian.”
About the large budget for the Centennial celebrations and the expensive show on Rabin-Square, April 4th:
“There was a free entrance on Rabin Square; more then 200.000 people were there that evening…that is NIS 20.- a person…so what’s the problem??”
About Yafo: “I see it as one of my main task, to bring Tel Aviv and Yafo more close together in all different ways”
About, that he made Tel Aviv a place only for the rich:
“Not true, only 7% of the Telavivians are living today in this new expensive towers”
About the transportations and parking problems:
“We need asap a metro- and a better transportation system. Private cars ‘are over’ in a city as Tel Aviv. We have no more space for parking places. This is not in my hands, but in the hands of the goverment.”
For what legacy, he liked to be remembered as mayor:
“I did a lot of things for Tel Aviv, just remember me as a good mayor!”
Ron Huldai I good major?
Mr. Huldai, what about the anti-smoking laws that you don't really enforce?
I wished Huldai enforced that anti-smoking laws in the same draconian way as he enforces the parking laws.
Mr. Huldai, we want to breath clean air in pubs, discos, malls, restaurants and so on.
We don't say Ron Huldai is a good mayor of Tel Aviv. He says that he *hopes* to be remembered as a good mayor. That is something different. ;-)
And I fully agree with. I am so glad I can go go out whatever way, like you mention: pubs, restaurants, cinema without being smoked out.
We have this strict law in the Netherlands since July 1st, 2008 and it is enforced!
Tel Aviv Fever Ed – in personal mode… ;-)
But in Tel Aviv it is Not being enforced.
This is sad/bad…
Here it is not done by municipality or police, but by inspectors of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority of the central government.
There is still discussion about it.
Israel has had anti-smoking laws since 1983 (or so), but they were never enforced by the municipalities, including Tel Aviv.
In November 2008, a the law was amended, the main changes where:
1. It is the responsibility of the owner (of the pub, disco, restaurant) to make sure people do not smoke (or do so only in the designated areas)
2. Much higher fines (400 NIS per smoker, 5000 per business)
3. The money from the this fines goes to the municipality archs
Tel Aviv municipality complains that the legislator did not assign funds and reluctantly "enforces" the law just for the "lip service" (minimal compliance)
Bottom line is that the law is not enforced, and people continue to smoke everywhere. I personally complained to the municipality inspection, and it took them ages to check the place… and somehow the inspectors turn a blind eye to the fact that the pub I complain about does not even have no-smoking signs. Then they sent me a response saying that they had checked the place, and that after initial fines were given, 'no smokers were found'.
The place continues to be as smoky as ever!!
I discovered a new site that monitors the current enforcement (or lack of) of the anti-smoking laws in Tel Aviv.
http://www.huldai-shun.org