WALLINGFORD, Conn. -- A proposal in Wallingford could make downtown businesses responsible for trash on sidewalks outside their businesses.

Town Councilor John Letourneau said it all started in 2004 when the state banned smoking in bars and restaurants, bringing the smokers outside.

Now, he said, our lungs are cleaner, but Wallingford's streets are dirtier -- even though the town has cigarette disposals available to smokers.

Letourneau said his solution is to hold local businesses responsible for cleaning up sidewalk trash, including cigarette butts, or get slapped with a $90 fine.

As a business owner himself, Letourneau said he knows firsthand that it’s a dirty job, but “it’s the right thing to do.”

One local bar owner said most bars already do their parts.

The owner said the emphasis should be placed on encouraging smokers to throw out their own butts -- a problem in the alley on North Main Street, which runs through the town's bar area.

Fellow business owner Christine Mansfield said she’s worried the proposal will place a burden on small businesses.

“I think, in this economy, there are so many additional pressures,” she said.

A public hearing on the issue was scheduled for Tuesday night.