Let the smuggling end…maybe.
God only knows how many folks from Michigan sneak into Ohio or
Indiana to buy fireworks and then quietly stuff them in the trunk and
head back home?
Of course it's against the law but so is speeding. Just take a look
at I-696.
So now comes Rep. Harold Haugh (D-Roseville) with a bill to legalize
the sale of "real" fireworks, you know the ones that go BOOM-BOOM and
he may actually get this thing passed in time for this 4th of July
although some bureaucratic roadblocks may scuttle the effort.
Even so, who'da thunk it would ever happen after twelve years of
trying?
Funny thing what a financial crisis in the state can do when
legislators go hunting for new revenue.
Haugh figures when you add up the sales tax from hawking fireworks,
state coffers will increase by over three million dollars. Another
three million will go into the fund to train fire fighters which is why
the State Fire Marshall has given his seal of approval to the bill.
Ah, but nothing is ever that simple in this town.
The so-called Big Box stores, K-Mart, Meijers, and the Wal-Marts of
the world, want in on the action. They want to sell those boom-booms
in a tent in front of their stores, but Mr. Haugh says, "Not on my
watch" and the Fire Marshal agrees.
Right now those stores can sell sparkers, smoke bombs and other
wimpy "fireworks" in those tents but that's all.
Their lobbyist argues if they can't unload the really good stuff
like other folks, they won't make any money at all.
After all who wants to buy a sparkler when you can buy an M-80 down
the road?
Haugh tells them to put the stuff inside the store, but they don't
want to do that because they would have to spend too much to meet the
state fire code.
But while all sides aruge the economics of selling fireworks, what
about the public safety which is why they were banned in the first
place?
Last time anybody checked, lots of fingers, toes and other body
parts end up on the ground each Independence Day because some body made
a mistake.
Haugh counters, "Hey, you can get hurt getting in a car."
Look for this thing to squeak through soon, but not without an
explosive debate.
Sorry, couldn't resist.