No, it isn't the end of the world, but how many Americans can still remember attending their city or town's fireworks display as a child, recalling what a wonderful celebration of America and freedom it can be? Not to mention sharing the partcular experience with family, friends, and even the commuity as a whole?
While no fan of government spending money needlessly, you would think Tucson could find plenty of ways to save $55,000 without canceling their Fourth of July festivities. I put some of the more ironic bits from a longer article in bold. Figures aren't given for all the other cities. While not as bad, the Middletown, CT decision to move them to Thursday is priceless - to cut back on city employee overtime. And Milwaukee's decision to up the fine for backyard fireworks to precisely $676 is an insult to the very day itself only a government bureaucrat should find funny.
In Joliet, IL, businesses were too strapped to make their usual donations to support the celebration. At least when it comes to tax policy, just who's to blame for that? And as is always the case, the government turned to individuals to make up the difference.
(CNN) -- What's a July Fourth celebration without fireworks? Many cities across the United States will find out Saturday.
As municipalities grope for ways to shore up budgets, expensive pyrotechnics displays are becoming the latest victims of the economic downturn.
"There's a lot of other things that I think could be cut, maybe changed, but for some reason they decided to cut the fireworks, and I think there's going to be a lot of people complaining about it," Tucson, Arizona, resident Terry Mertins told CNN affiliate KVOA-TV.
City officials say the cancellation will save Tucson about $55,000.
In Illinois, CNN affiliate WLS-TV reported that Harvey, Berwyn, Elgin, Gurnee and North Riverside had canceled their shows.
Middletown, Connecticut, also held its celebration early, on Thursday -- but for a different reason.
Holding the celebration on Saturday would have meant $20,000 in overtime pay for city workers,on top of the $65,000 bill for the actual show, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano told CNN affiliate WTNH-TV.
However, those who aren't mindful of the laws in their city could find the economic downturn taking an even greater toll. Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan told CNN affiliate WTMJ-TV that the city is serious about stopping backyard fireworks.
Because no one respected the ban last year, the city is "going to hit them in the pocketbook," he said. The fine for each citation? $676.
Blue Springs, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, also 86'ed the pyrotechnics to give the city "some immediate budget relief," city officials told CNN affiliate KCTV.
Joliet, Illinois, almost canceled its 63rd annual skyrocket display because businesses weren't able to send their customary donations.The show had a $23,000 price tag, but local businesses could muster only about $14,000, according to WGN.
City residents were not content to go without fireworks Saturday.
"It's a tradition in Joliet. It's an American tradition. You can't give up on that," said Robert Svarz, who has been attending fireworks shows in Joliet for 50 years, according to WLS.
Residents scraped together the remaining $9,000 to make sure the city staged its show, which draws thousands to Joliet Memorial Stadium and the surrounding parking lots each year.
"Not only did they send in contributions, but they all sent notes on how important it was to keep this thing alive," Russ Slinkard, CEO of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce, told WLS.
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