Taking the bang out of the holiday
TEXT OF STORY
Renita Jablonski: The slowing economy is taking some of the bang out of Independence Day. Jean-Luc Renault has more.
Here’s a sound you won’t be hearing in many towns tonight.
[Sound of fireworks]
The sluggish economy has cities across the country blowing out the fuse on their annual fireworks show. In Chula Vista, California, falling tax revenue has opened a 15-million-dollar hole in the city’s budget.
David Garcia is city manager:
David Garcia: We focused on preserving core services. In that list of funding priorities basically one of the ones that fell out was the 40 thousand dollars for the fireworks display.
Fireworks are also more expensive this year. Stephen Vitale is the CEO of fireworks wholesaler Pyrotecnico. He says a supply shortage of imported fireworks forced him to raise prices by as much as 25 percent.
Stephen Vitale: It’s going to price a lot of the smaller shows out of the market.
Sonoma County in Northern California found a way to spare its fireworks display. It held the show last night to save on holiday overtime for police and fire crews.
I’m Jean-Luc Renault for Marketplace.
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