A two-year trial to reintroduce safe and sane fireworks in Huntington Beach after a 25-year ban expires on Friday, according to the O.C. Register.
The issue has quickly become a partisan scrum. H.B. Councilman Joe Shaw, a liberal Democrat, posted this message on his Facebook page today:
Don Hansen will be running his candidates for City Council next year: Devin Dwyer and Barbara Delgleize and Matthew Harper will be joining with TNT fireworks to put fireworks on the ballot in 2014. They will gather signatures and it will be paid for by TNT. Devin Dwyer <j.devindwyer@verizon.net>; Barbara Delgleize
com>; Matthew Harper <matthewharper@verizon.net>;
E-mail them now and let them know what you think.
He followed that screed up with this message:
Here’s what happens: a fireworks company comes to town, doles out campaign contributions to whomever will support fireworks – in this case the Hansenistas – Dwyer, Delgleize & Harper – and the fireworks companies go along bring along their sure-fire scheme – let school children sell them and we’ll share the profits. What they don’t tell you is that you will be inundated with illegal fireworks and law enforcement will be overwhelmed. In a city where we see an influx of 500,000 people on the Fourth, the possible amount of illegal fireworks brought into the city are impossible to do anything about it. If the fireworks companies were honest and upright they would recommend using those profits to shore up enforcement efforts against illegal fireworks. But it’s a whole marketing scheme that works for them. Meanwhile our citizens -many of them seniors- and their companion animals live in terror for several days.
Schoolkids selling fireworks? That seems inconceivable. It turns out Shaw was flat out lying. Click here to read the H.B. fireworks ordinance, which clearly states that “No person under the age of eighteen (18) shall sell or participate in the sale of “Safe and Sane Fireworks” within such stand.”
Shaw clearly would rather spend the fireworks money on more cops, on overtime of course, than let charities make the money. What is he thinking? Perhaps he doesn’t understand what selling fireworks means to families and the youth organizations in H.B.? He is a single man and he has no kids, according to his Facebook page.
I have four kids and this week my wife and I volunteered at two fireworks stands in Santa Ana, for the local Little League team and for my ten-year old son’s fifth grade science camp fund. We worked a total of six hours and I personally sold at least $1,500 in that time. At least 40% of that money went directly to these non-profit organizations.
You want to know who benefit from fireworks sales? Click here for a list of the non-profits in Santa Ana that ran the 75 fireworks booths in our city. Note the list is full of churches, schools, and youth sports leagues. Clearly Shaw doesn’t care about such organizations, does he?
So was the 4th of July really a criminal hotbed in Huntington Beach? Let’s go to the scoreboard: In Huntington Beach, which years ago was the site of Fourth of July yard pissings, fistfights and riots with police cars overturned and set on fire, there were 22 arrests from midnight to midnight, July 4-5, according to the OC Weekly. Newport Beach, by comparison, had 100 arrests. Santa Ana had zero arrests for fireworks, according to the New Santa Ana blog, and 27 arrests overall.
So why is Shaw really all that upset about this issue? Let’s go back to his Facebook page. Here is what he wrote “In a city where we see an influx of 500,000 people on the Fourth, the possible amount of illegal fireworks brought into the city are impossible to do anything about it.”
Now hang on a minute. This anti-outsider point of view that Shaw is suddenly expressing with regard to fireworks stands in stark contrast to what he has said about saving the Huntington Beach fire pits. Check out what he told the New York Times:
Joe Shaw, a city councilman in Huntington Beach, said the tradition of gathering around fire pits at night “epitomizes the California dream of so many.” Each weekend, scores flock to Huntington Beach’s more than 500 fire pits, which bring in an estimated $1 million annually for the city in parking fees alone.
“I grew up in Oklahoma, and when I was a kid, all I could do was wish that I could live someday in a beach town where they surf all day and clambake all night,” Mr. Shaw said. “That’s what California is to a lot of people. Let’s preserve that.”
Didn’t they have legal fireworks in Oklahoma too? We all grew up with safe and sane fireworks and it wasn’t until NIMBYs and local politicians outlawed them that they became much of an issue.
It seems like Shaw is saying that he would like for Orange County residents to NOT come to his city on the 4th of July, which means of course that they would not spend any money on parking or on restaurants, bars, or local stores and snack shops.
Hang on, doesn’t Shaw know that this attitude is anti-business? Well here is the rub. Guess what Shaw does for a living? According to his City Council bio, “he is currently a partner in a public affairs consulting firm.” Well there you go. There are no bigger rats in our County than the public affairs types who litter our local government – and who make a living in government while supposedly serving the public.
Now mind you I am no fan of H.B. Councilman Matt Harper, but if Harper is looking to put the sale of safe and sane fireworks in H.B. on the ballot this blog will support that effort 100%.
It is ironic that we are having this debate about a holiday that is supposed to be about celebrating our nation’s freedom. It seems that the elected Democrats in H.B., which include Mayor Connie Boardman, and Shaw of course, don’t value freedom much after all.
Boardman and Shaw are listed on this Facebook page as being in support of banning safe and sane fireworks in H.B. Boardman by the way also appears to have no kids, as per her own Facebook page. That anti-fireworks site has only 23 likes! Maybe the good people of Huntington Beach need to elect folks who actually represent their values and interests? I cannot imagine that the voters in H.B. will appreciate it if Shaw and Boardman continue to stand against funding local youth sports and non-profits.
I am about as conservative as they come, but I am AGAINST having my neighborhood full of explosions for several days before & after July 4th.
Get a handle on the ILLEGAL fireworks before legalizing any at all.
NO ONE in my neighborhood near the Harbour shoots off the “safe & sane”. It’s all M80’s & other ILLEGAL fireworks which were being thrown into traffic as we attempted to drive home.
It sounds like your cops aren’t doing their job.
Sounds like the priveleged set is making stuff up….bit of a drama queen, me thinks. No one threw any M-80’s in my neighborhood and no one’s house burned down.
Exactly. Time to throw these bums off the HB City Council!
I’m making sure to remember the names of the ones that are whining about this so that I don’t vote for any of them.
“Priveleged (sic) set”? Who is it that’s making things up? It certainly isn’t me.
I’m wrecked with Shipwreck! This is nothing but legalized vandalism. Safe and sane masks the illigal fireworks. And if you think Ms. Boardman or Joe Shaw will suffer in an election you better grab a clue. Many of the older generation are already organizing and we happen to vote…..CONSISTANTLY while the parents involved in hawking of fireworks are at batting practice. And I’m not letting the police off the hook either. They’ll get a peice of my mind too. And……there were kids setting up these stands and selling at the Vons stand in H.B.. So don’t get too self rightous.
Seniors do vote but they also die and become demented. If the HB parents vote they will win, as we saw in Fullerton last year.
And if the kids are selling the fireworks that is another police fail.
Is there any kind of a petition to keep fireworks legal here? I’ve missed them for the past 25 years and it’s GREAT to be able to have them once again. People in our neighborhood have always done them anyway, and it’s nice to once again know that they’re legal without worrying about cops. We loved them as kids and never had any accidents, houses burned, etc. I’m sick of government control over the most ridiculous things. We need to get these people out of office who are trying to force us into going to “professional fireworks displays”. Either way, won’t stop anyone from doing them whether they like it or not. I’d just prefer that it was legal so no one risks any charges.
Amen! We will keep you posted. I have already reached out to TNT.
COOL—thanks! Would love to know what’s going on so we can keep them legal.
Absolutely. We will definitely be involved in leading the effort!
It has been said that TNT has been reached out to, it would be a good time to start working with them to get signatures requesting a vote be put on the ballot in Huntington Beach, if TNT and Phantom could ask Orange County stand operators to help get signatures requesting a vote for Safe and Sane be put on the Huntington Beach ballot this would be a great time to get them from the people that visit the stands.
P.S. My parents are seniors, but they are all for fireworks and have lived here for 40 years. Never had any issues with them in our house or neighborhood in general, so not all seniors have any issues with fireworks. They’re happy that the fireworks ban was lifted.
That’s awesome! I always loved fireworks when I was growing up and I am lucky to live in a city where they are still legal on the 4th of July. I truly believe that the fireworks opponents in HB are a small bunch of angry people.
I hope you’re right–all the people in my neighborhood seem to enjoy them and had a 2-hour display last week. We’ve always loved doing them when we were kids as well. Hope we can continue to have them.
I’d say it was a parenting fail.
That’s the root of a lot of criminal acts…
NEWSFLASH–We’ve had illegal fireworks WAAAAAAAY BEFORE they made safe & sane ones legal again for DECADES. So that’s a lame argument. They’ve been setting off the big stuff for at least a decade in my neighborhood and surrounding areas. No big deal. Using the safe & sane ones as scapegoats to illustrate your little agenda is bull****.
exactly!
Know what? It’s maybe one week out of the year that you have to deal with it. Get over it. Give your pet a tranquilizer if they’re that upset or get out of town for a few days. Can’t have it your way all the time. Sorry.
My dog was happy going after our food! We always have a BBQ on the 4th.
Great! I’ll go on a month long Alaskan cruise, and you can pick up the bill! You can pay my vet bill as well.
BTW, ALL fireworks are illegal in HB, and no amount of whining from you is going to change that.
Keep setting off your ILLEGAL fireworks, and I’ll keep calling the police on you.
Well SHpwreck this much I will guarantee, if you thought it was bad the last two years when at least a percentage of the fireworks were Safe and Sane you better hold because next year if that option is taken away the only thing you are going to see is Artillery shells and Sky Rockets. Now may be a good time to get that shake roof replaced with a fireproof tile, The Spanish tiles are a little pricier but go good with the Southern California theme and they are fireproof. . Oh don’t you think that people have been calling the cops over the past 20+ years… Tell me what has it got you eh? Some birds cant pull their heads out of that hole in the dirt.
The Anaheim City Council voted 5-0 to allow voters an opportunity to lift the ban of Safe and Sane Fireworks. Measure E will be on the ballot with the City’s election and California’s 2014 June primary.
A yes vote on Measure E would repeal the current ban on safe and sane fireworks in Anaheim in effect since the late 80’s. Once lifted , the City Council will draft a new ordinance that will benefit fireworks consumers and nonprofit organizations within the community. The new ordinance would take effect in July 2015.
Anaheim joins a growing number of cities in California that have lifted bans over the past decade. In November 2012, Fullerton voters passed Measure X by a 60 % margin. Westminster, Villa Park, Huntington Beach, El Centro, Brawley, Holtville, Lompoc, Tracy, Salinas , Stockton and West Sacramento have all introduced fireworks in the last 5 years. In total, over 30 communities throughout California have legalized the sales and possession of state approved fireworks since 1992- most by a council action.
Whether it’s back yard family fun on July 4th or a great fundraising opportunity for community non profits, STATE APPROVED FIREWORKS ARE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA!
Than goodness they pulled their heads out… Huntington Beach backpedals on fireworks crackdown — http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fireworks-612946-ordinance-council.html
Awesome! We won!
One small step, the next step is to get Safe and Sane fireworks on the ballet and let the people decide on what they want rather than a few people that don’t want to know the truth about fireworks. People don’t want the fireworks that fly and explode but banning Safe and Sane fireworks that do not fly or explode only leave that illegal fireworks that do. Taking away the Safe and Sane fireworks is not the answer. We need the right to vote on what is the correct action to take.
Amen to that!
Anaheim CA Fireworks Vote – According to the Los Angeles Times June 5, 2014: YES for safe & sane sales 9,712. NO 8,008. No sales will happen until next year, but it should rock. Now if we could just get a Vote on the ballet of Hunting Beach.
That is good news!
OK Huntington Beach, this year there were no safe and sane sales in the city and tell me was it so it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop? Did you notice ANY reduction in the amount of Illegal fireworks going on this year? So far everyone I have spoken with has said it was worse this year than last when at least some of the people that choose to shoot illegals decided they had an option to shoot legal safe and sane and choose to do so rather than risk a fine. This year there was no option for safe and sane for those that are set on celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks and it showed.
Well said. Total fail and the non profits lost out by not being able to sell safe and Sane fireworks.
Huntington Beach Independent
Will fireworks be allowed? City to consider letting voters decide
Huntington Beach will hold a special meeting Monday to decide whether residents should be given the final say over whether to ban fireworks.
Council members will vote on whether to add an item to the Nov. 4 ballot amending the city’s charter to allow the use of “safe and sane” fireworks in Surf City on the Fourth of July. The measure would also give the council the ability to choose who can sell fireworks and when and where they can be set off.
The meeting will be held at the City Council chambers at 6 p.m.
http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-me-0717-fireworks-special-meeting-20140711,0,2189041.story
The liberals on the Council won’t support this.
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Shaw, having been vocal about his disapproval of fireworks, said he will vote in favor of the ballot measure to allow Huntington Beach residents to decide for themselves. The idea is allow the people of Huntington Beach to make the call and not just the seven council members.same way it worked in Fullerton.
Good move by Shaw!
The Huntington Beach Charter Amendment to bring the vote to allow Safe and Sane fireworks on the November 4th election just passed 5 to 2.
Out of 30 people that spoke at the meeting only two were opposed,
Way to go Huntington Beach way to go!!!
Correction Vote to allow a vote for the Charter Amendment..November 4th election just passed 5 to 2.
I need to clarify my July 14 post. The special city council meeting on July 14 was to direct the city attorney to draft the ballot measure and present it to the council for the final vote. That vote will take place on Monday, July 21st. The public part of the meeting will start at about 6 pm. That is when the city council will vote on whether to put the measure on the November ballot. The agenda is not up on the city’s website yet but according to the city it should be up today by close of business.
The measure passed 5 to 2 (At 11:30 pm last night) and the vote will be on the H.B. November ballot to do a charter amendment to allow Safe and Sane fireworks back in Huntington Beach. Now it is just up to the people to vote for it.
The measure passed 5 to 2 (At 11:30 pm last night) and the vote will be on the H.B. November ballot to do a charter amendment to allow Safe and Sane fireworks back in Huntington Beach. Now it is just up to the people to vote for it.
“More than 100 people applauded when the council voted 5 to 2 on Monday to direct city staff to begin the referendum process. Council members Jill Hardy and Connie Boardman dissented. A second council vote on the issue is scheduled for July 21.”
From http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-me-0717-fireworks-ballot-20140716,0,7091685.story
We’d love to see a similar vote and response for banning the plastic bag ban.
Vote YES on T
November 4.
The days leading up to yesterday, and yesterday during the day, was much quieter than the other 7 years since we moved to HB. We have never spent the entire evening here in the past, so I have nothing to compare last nights illegal fireworks show to, but I do know that it was done & quiet after 11pm. Last year it was pretty constant until 3am.
Well SHipwrek your experience this year doesn’t seem to be in line with the story just published in the HB Independent newspaper today… http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-me-0710-fireworks-ride-along-20140709,0,4536915.story
I can only speak about my own experience. No fireworks here since Sunday, unlike other years.
The measure passed 5 to 2 (At 11:30 pm last night) and the vote will be on the H.B. November ballot to do a charter amendment to allow Safe and Sane fireworks back in Huntington Beach. Now it is just up to the people to vote for it.
Legalize Fireworks in Huntington Beach Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1475802985997113/
Mayor Connie Boardman is really out of touch with reality as you can see with her statement “”They’re called safe and sane but they’re designed to EXPLODE … the concerns are real.”
Safe and Sane Fireworks DO NOT EXPLODE!!! Definition of Safe and Sane fireworks quoted from The Fireworks Alliance.org http://www.fireworksalliance.org/cgi-bin/viewpage.pl?p=glossary
“Safe and Sane” –
This is a term for FIREWORKS THAT DO NOT HAVE AERIAL EFFECTS OR “E X P L O D E”. Items that are classified as Safe and Sane include sparklers, snaps, smoke balls, fountains, snakes, and (in some cases) wheels. ITEMS THAT ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS SAFE AND SANE include firecrackers, rockets, and cakes. Some States restrict legal fireworks to Safe and Sane items only.”
Just wanted to address two statements from Fire Capt. Bob Culhane,
1.) “Now people have fireworks and now you’re trying to distinguish if it’s ‘safe and sane’ or dangerous.”
2.)”You do tend to get more dangerous fireworks when we have the ‘safe and sane.'”
I have a hard time with these statements…
1.) If it goes in the air I would think it would be very easy to see that that a fireworks is not Safe and Sane. I can spot a NON Safe and Sane firework for 4 or more blocks away. I don’t see why Bob Culhane or any police officer would not be able to tell the difference as well.
2.) Allowing people to have the opportunity to have legal fireworks in no way has any influence on any increases of Illegal fireworks as a matter of fact common sense tells you that some people when given the choice will go with legal firework over illegal ones to avoided breaking the law and the consequences for doing so.
Both of the statements from Bob Culhane are not passing the smell test.
THE FACTS!
•20,000 local residents were able to buy state fire marshal-approved fireworks to safely celebrate the Fourth of July each year in the best of American traditions.
•Twenty local nonprofit groups raised more than $700,000 over the past two years that will be used to provide services to our community by selling “Safe and Sane” fireworks under our carefully regulated city program.
•Thousands enjoyed the Pier Plaza fireworks show this year, thanks to a generous $55,000 contribution from fireworks vendor TNT.
•Proceeds from fireworks sales provide $56,000 each year to our police and fire officials to support a safe holiday.
The Bottom Line
The presence and use of illegal pyrotechnic devices diminishes. When our citizens are given the option of celebrating in a legal manner or with illegal fireworks, “Safe and Sane” fireworks are their preference.
Liberals tend to be over the top authoritarians.
There needs to be a real push to put the fate of Safe and Sane fireworks to a vote of the people of Huntington Beach to take the power away from the liberals. The last thing that the liberals want to happen is for this to be voted in because it takes that power out of their hands and right now it is clear that some of the council members are voting against Safe and Sane blindly and just taking the word of people that really don’t know the facts. I can understand why Mayor Connie Boardman may defer fireworks education to her fire chief but I see a conflict of interest with Chief Bob Culhane. He made a statement about how he was watching all the illegal fireworks over a TV feed from a helicopter, that’s the kind of stuff that confuses the issue when it comes to Safe and Sane vs. illegal fireworks. Of course you’re not going to notice the Safe and Sane use from a helicopter because they are designed to be tame and will not stand out, the only thing you will see are the illegal aerials! Just common sense people..
We are NOT talking about gun rights here. It’s firework. It’s about fire hazard, safety and ways of celebration. It has very little to do with bi-partisan politics. I don’t prefer firework NOT because I’m a liberal. It’s because I don’t like the noise, the smoke and the effects it has on pets. Don’t just throw out labels on people who don’t agree with your position.
Fireworks are legal on the 4th of July in many OC cities. They help fund a lot of non profits and youth organizations. I would imagine that HB curmudgeons are going to be overruled on this one.
Lee D. the part you do not seem to grasp is there are Safe and Sane fireworks that do not explode or fly, the ones designed to be used safely in urban neighborhood. Then you have the others. When you take away the Safe and Sane all you leave is the others, the ones that cause the issues you do not like. Safe and Sane fireworks were not legal three years ago in Huntington Beach so are you going to tell me there was no issues with illegal fireworks in Huntington Beach then? Of course not. During the past two years Huntington Beach had the least amount of issues regarding illegal firework since they have been keeping records…Now that the Safe and Sane fireworks are again being taken away as an option do not be surprised when you see more of the Non Safe and Sane verity flying past or on your roof next 4th of July.
Oh by the way Hunting Beach officials have introduce an INSANE new ordinance http://articles.hbindependent.com/2014-04-23/news/tn-hbi-me-0424-fireworks-citations-20140423_1_illegal-fireworks-state-approved-fireworks-using-fireworks.
If this becomes law a person down the street from you can launch a sky rocket and it can land in your yard and a policeman could site YOU for using fireworks because they found evidence of fireworks on your property. Another example of how out of touch with reality most of the Huntington Beach city council members are.
I love the way the amount of firework confiscated in Huntington Beach magically nearly doubled from what they had been reporting to all the newspapers and anyone that would listen over the past two years from an amount was less than half of what they claim in this latest story. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/f…each-year.html Says 165 lbs Now 300
I’ve been checking the internet today to see if they are going to allow fireworks this year in HB. Thank God they are not! Last year was the biggest disaster ever! It was like a war zone on my street. All day there were illegal fireworks going off one after another. My dog who normally doesn’t care one way or another about noise, was out of her mind by the end of the night. She even wouldn’t go out and walk for over a month after the 4th. Not only did they start at least two weeks before the 4th, they never stopped all summer until the college kids were back in school. I’ve never in my life seen anything like it. I actually bought a lot of the safe and sane fireworks. I have no problem with them at all, but truthfully, the illegal ones were much worse last year than ever before. By the end of the day our whole family was on edge from all the explosions on our street. Maybe most of you didn’t experience that, but it literally went on all day and night on 6th Street. Sorry, but I’m glad to be able to call the cops this year.
To take away Safe and Sane fireworks has nothing to do with stopping Illegal fireworks. People seem to think that the illegal fireworks are being sold at the Safe and Sane fireworks stands or something. Since no illegal fireworks can be sold in California that means that all of the Illegal fireworks are coming from out of the State. That being the case how in the world is stopping a family from celebrating the 4th of July by lighting a fountain or a sparkler going to stop that guy down the street that was willing to go out of State to pick up those fireworks that are illegal? OK it is too late now for Huntington Beach to bring the Safe and Sane fireworks back this year. But for all of the people that seem to think that Safe and Sane fireworks have anything to do with the unsafe illegal fireworks take a good look around this year and see if taking away the Safe and Sane had any effect in reducing the amount of illegal fireworks. The facts are every year you are seeing more and more illegal fireworks and a good part of the reason for that is your cities are no longer giving people the choice to buy the Safe and Sane legal ones.
By the way just because Safe and Sane were legal last year did not mean you could not call the cops last year for illegal fireworks. Illegal fireworks are and were still illegal, having Safe and Sane did not give them a free pass. Comments like “Sorry, but I’m glad to be able to call the cops this year.” Just so how out of touch with reality some people can be.
I never said I couldn’t call the cops last year. It’s just that they were so busy with all the “extra” fireworks in the area that they couldn’t and wouldn’t respond to all the calls that were coming in. If you’re going to respond to comments, Clint, have some respect. I’m certainly living in the “real” world and have been for quite some time. By the way, you might want to consider doing some research yourself. Apparently, the only people that agree with you are the few on this site.
My apologies… Your message sounded like you did not call because you thought all fireworks were legal, it was just the way you put it.
You would be surprised how many people do feel the same way I do.
Evidently the city council members are so worried about a vote going out on the ballet that would overrule them they are doing everything they can to stop that from happening. Like inflating the numbers on the amount of illegal fireworks confiscated from the true numbers they had already made public. They know if it was put to a popular vote Safe and Sane fireworks would be back. All they have to do to see the writing on the wall is look at Westminster, Fullerton, and Anaheim.
People that don’t want to be real regarding the truth on the amount of illegal fireworks around the 4th of July having anything to do with Safe and Sane sales are just fooling themselves.
move away….get a clue
Hey Anonymous…My house was paid for in cash..how about yours? We are all entitled to our opinion.
I really don’t care what you think. Why don’t you move to a place where fireworks are legal?
I grew on Pine st and we had our garage roof catch fire from a LEGAL fire work (Chinese blooming flower) Yes HB had legal fireworks my entire childhood but we also had a lot of other dangerous things as well that wouldn’t be legal today. The problem is people do really stupid things.Especially on holidays.Maybe their judgement is impaired from to much celebration if you catch my drift.The article comes off as “Liberal Bashing” IMHO I don’t know anything about this site but, I get the feeling there’s an agenda here and fireworks are just the soup d’jour to go after someone.
Safe and Sane fireworks are safe when used as intended.
The liberals on your City Council banned fireworks. That simply isn’t debatable.
The illegal fireworks going off this year so far, are absolutely INSANE! All hours of the day and night. They are extremely dangerous. I agree with you Gary, the issue here is the stupidity of the people lighting them off. From my walks around my neighborhood, I can see that most of these people are drunker than skunks and totally impaired. A dangerous cocktail (no pun intended). The police do absolutely nothing about it. I wish the problem were just “safe and sane”. The real problem is the crazy people with nothing better to do than put everyone else in danger.
This is what I have been preaching all along, this year will be the worst year to date in Huntington Beach for illegal fireworks. Every year more people use fireworks and when you take away the opportunity to legally buy the Safe and Sane fireworks that are designed to be used safely in a residential neighborhood all that leaves is the dangerous ones. I think the Huntington Beach Mayor and city council flat screwed up on this one. Huntington Beach goes backwards while Fullerton, Anaheim, Villa Park move forward. People of Huntington Beach need to do what the people of Fullerton did and put Safe and Sane fireworks on the ballot and go with the popular vote of the people and not allow a handful of people that do not want to know the facts make rules the majority do not want. And worst of all in the long run do not help the real problems. Too bad Huntington Beach will not get that extra 40 grand they did last year to help pay for police during the 4th of July season this year. Or have TNT paying for a fireworks show the public could have choose to attend rather than shoot illegal fireworks.
I agree, there is nothing dangerous about safe and sane fireworks. It’s too bad, like you say, that they outlaw those and choose to look the other way on the issue of the dangerous ones. I really think the police need to take a more active role in patrolling the neighborhoods and responding to complaints. I don’t mind a few fireworks going off, but so far this year, it’s been terrible. I’ve spoken with many people from my street up to 18th street, that are going crazy from the noise. It’s nonstop on the weekend. Hopefully, if enough people complain, something will be done.
BTW, for those of us who choose not to break the law, but see someone who is….HB 24-hour firework hotline is 714-375-5144. I will have it on speed dial this week. Fines are doubled on the 4th of July.
There is a facebook page asking people to call or email the Huntington Beach City Council and tell the council to make “safe and sane” fireworks legal again. It is here – https://www.facebook.com/savehbfireworks