New fireworks restrictions are needed

What has Harold Haugh inflicted upon us?

Haugh, the former Roseville
mayor, now a state rep., was the author and champion of the state’s new
fireworks law.

Judging by the explosive fireworks displays all across Metro
Detroit on Wednesday night, the law has produced a far larger impact than Haugh
could have imagined. In my Macomb
Township neighborhood,
for at least one hour there was not one second of silence. It was shock and
awe, suburban style.

With the air thick and heavy with mugginess, a thin cloud of
smoke from the gun powder lingered in every direction. All across the horizon,
I saw a continuous stream of rockets exploding into showers of colors just
above the tree line. I wonder if Macomb
Township residents alone
spent more than $1 million on fireworks.

Those who are not familiar with these materials should know
that “the good stuff” – the rockets and mortars that are now legal – are very
expensive. That neighbor of yours who put on that nice little show for a half
hour – that probably cost more than $1,000.

So, the first thing Haugh should do is figure out how much
revenue was generated by the new law, which allows people to avoid a trip to Indiana or Ohio
for the big-bang materials. The Roseville Democrat’s prior estimate that $18
million would flow into the state’s coffers may have to be adjusted by five- or
10-fold.

Next, a study should be conducted to determine who those
vagabonds are who received licenses to operate the temporary fireworks tents.
Do they live in the area? Do they spend their money in Michigan?

That would be good to know because, based on the amount of
fireworks explosions I saw on July 4 – and the 1st, 2nd
and 3rd, and even weeks before that – those unassuming people who
have since folded up their tents and left town made a fortune this year.

Which brings me to a grudging admission – I think the law
should be amended to allow communities to ban the use of the top-tier fireworks,
those that are now legally for sale, with the exception of three days a year:
July 4th, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (after the clock strikes
midnight is obviously a prime time for celebrating a new year).

Many cities and townships have already limited the
explosives to 30 days a year – on the 10 national holidays, and the day before
and after those holidays. That’s the maximum restriction allowed by the new
state law. But I have to ask, with all the public complaints about noise over
the past few weeks, why would any official want to allow fireworks to be used
on July 5th, or the day after Labor Day, or Dec. 26th?

Frankly, as a pyrotechnics enthusiast myself, I’ve always
found it strange and stupid that people blow off fireworks days before July 4th.
And those who do so in daylight are simply wasting their money. I see no reason
why those people should disturb the peace on days of no special significance.

Regardless of what the new state law says, it makes sense to
me that each municipality have the right to limit the rockets’ red glare and
the bombs bursting in air to the three days when such celebrations are an
American tradition.