During Friday's edition of Lubbock's First News on KFYO, Lubbock Mayor Glen Robertson discussed Lubbock City Council's recent budgeting decisions and the proposed smoking ban ordinance.

In the last city council meeting, Lubbock's Citizen Advisory Committee recommended a bond worth $134 million. It is estimated that an additional $67 million bond would be needed for a new police and emergency operations building. Of the $134 million requested, $50 million would be used for park and pool maintenance and upgrades, about $64 million in street maintenance , and $20 million would be spent on building renovations.

A large part of the money recommended for parks and pools could possibly be spent on the Canyon lake systems in an attempt to connect, "all the lakes together, adding more amenities, and trying to make it a more user-friendly lake system," Robertson said. This would create a continuous 16 mile track from the northwest corridor of the Canyon lakes down to the southeast portion.

Another subject discussed in the latest city council meeting was the proposed smoking ban. The Mayor is a clear supporter of business owner rights and believes an ordinance banning smoking tobacco in private businesses would be the equivalent of banning a legal substance. "If you're like me and don't like to be around the smoke, [...] don't go to the bars where they allow smoking," Mayor Robertson said, pointing out that it should not be the government's job to keep citizens from using legal substances in private businesses.

During the last City Council meeting, both smokers and non-smokers showed up, and Mayor Robertson noted very reasonable behavior from both sides of the debate. "The thing that impressed me is that, even though we had that many people on completely opposite sides of a very controversial subject, both sides were very professional. It wasn't attack mode. Everybody on both sides just kind of presented their facts and their beliefs," he said.

Although he disagrees with it, Mayor Robertson predicts that the smoking ban will pass. "I think there will be four votes to pass it. I hope not, but I think that's where we're headed," he said.

To listen to the full interview, click the play button below:

To listen from a mobile device, click the following link: KFYO LFN Glen Robertson July 25 2014

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