Fireworks Over St. Johns Cost $55,000
Jacksonville's Fireworks Display Funded By Hotel-Room Tax
POSTED: Monday, June 29, 2009
  There are fireworks safety precautions Floridians should take on July 4. |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Fourth of July tradition in Jacksonville is fireworks over the St. Johns River.While other cities -- including Miami and Gainesville -- have already removed fireworks displays from their budgets, the $55,000 the show in Jacksonville costs is paid for by the Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is funded by the so-called "bed tax" on hotel rooms.The original story Channel 4 aired on Monday implied the money came from the city's budget, which faces a large deficit. Last week, Mayor John Peyton announced he will call for deep cuts and an increase in the property tax in his 2009-2010 budget next year."It would be disappointing to not have fireworks, but if it takes cutting some frills in a recession, so be it," said John Draper of Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. "I think increasing taxes is detrimental."A sampling of local residents found a lot of support for publicly funded fireworks displays."It's such a great tradition and there are other ways to save money than to take fireworks away from the Fourth of July," said Gail Johnson. "There must be other places to save money that's being wasted.""I understand it's something taken of less importance, but in the end, it brings out the community in a few specific locations," Franz Ahmed said.Other northeast Florida cities are also paying for fireworks on Saturday. Jacksonville Beach told Channel 4 they spend $25,000 on its show and St. Augustine spends $50,000.
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