Fireworks are as much of a Fourth of July necessity as the American flag and hot dogs on the grill. But some communities may be left with darker skies this weekend due to budget cuts.
That’s because, as America climbs out of a deep economic recession, some local governments have tightened spending — squeezing out public events like fireworks displays.
Michigan City, Ind., is one of dozens of small towns forced to halt the holiday celebration in the past. Mayor Ron Meer explained to ABC57, it was a matter of priorities, including “a Vietnam veterans memorial on the lakefront that needs refurbishing and I have [a] Michigan City lighthouse that needs structural repair and a paint job.”
It’s true, light shows come at no small price. Fireworks shows start at as much as $10,000 for smaller towns. And in some cases fireworks can cost around $1,000 a minute, according to Pam Lemmerman, vice president of the River District Alliance in Fort Meyers, Florida.
But the economic boost towns get from patrons, supporters say, is worth the cost. Julie Heckman, the executive director for the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) argues with fireworks shows leads to more visitors, which leads to more money. In fact, the APA finds that revenue made from display fireworks at commercial shows has steadily increased from $141 million in 1998 to $328 million in 2012, according to USA Today.
Kaboom Town in Addison, Texas racks up $2.5 million in restaurant revenue while Columbus, Ohio’s Red White & Boom adds an estimated $11 million to the city’s economy. Delgrosso’s Amusement Park in the small town of Tipton, Pennsylvania sees more than 20,000 people for its annual fireworks show while an additional 30,000 onlookers surround the area outside. Typically, the park brings in around 5,000 patrons on a regular day.
But instead of fighting the cuts, more communities have sparked ideas to brighten up the holiday with alternative methods to pay for the Independence Day staple, the National Journal reports. So instead of losing out on an important community event next year, here’s a few ways to keep around the American classic:
Seek outside sponsorship:
Over the past few years corporate sponsorship and private donation have become a main source of restoring brighter skies for a proper Fourth of July celebration. Elyria, Ohio eliminated fireworks in 2008, but the city provided help this year by adding a PayPal link to its website and adding a message in utility bills about how to donate. With the help of corporate and private contributions, city officials were able to raise $48,000 for the show, according to USA Today.
Other instances of corporations coming to the aid of the pyrotechnics: Pizza Hut sponsored a show for families at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam military base near Honolulu this year while several corporations including Microsoft and Amazon saved the annual display in Seattle last year.
Fundraise through nonprofits or local events:
Aside from seeking funding from private companies, communities can fundraise through simple measures like donation jars or charging parking fees. Community organizers or groups can also pool efforts to collect through local businesses, outside of storefronts or at local schools.
Partner with nearby towns:
Smaller towns can band together to form a larger event to save on spending and expand funding possibilities. Outside Chicago several towns in the northwest suburbs created the Northwest Fourth-Fest. Elgin, a participating town, reduced spending from $65,000 to $22,000 in 2012 by joining the new collaborative festival.
Enter a national contest:
National contests have also served as a means to obtain funding to put on the holiday blitz. Destination America’s Red, White & You contest selects two grand prize winning towns and three People’s Choice winners to receive $4,000 to go towards a show. Liberty Mutual launched a similar campaign in 2010 called Bring Back the 4th, awarding 10 communities throughout the country.
“I really do hope that communities that are cash-strapped and struggling think creatively to bring these shows back to their community,” Heckman said. “What other holiday does the community really come together, regardless of religion and regardless of political beliefs? Everybody wants to celebrate the Fourth of July. If the skies are dark, it has a huge impact on the community.”
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Tag: budget
Why Boston Asked Its Youth to Determine How to Spend $1 Million
As America inches closer to the 2015 election, a new wave of initiatives to engage the country’s youth will soon follow. But instead of launching social media campaigns or canvasing college campuses to capture their attention, Boston is empowering young people to care by involving them in the budget process.
Earlier this year the city launched the Youth Lead the Change project, a participatory budget (PB) process inviting young people between the ages of 12 and 25 to give input into how Boston spends $1 million in public capital. The project—the first of its kind in the United States—was limited to “bricks and mortar” funding, ranging in categories including education, community culture, parks/environment/health and streets and safety.
Young Bostonians worked on designing the PB process as well as with city officials on project proposals, spending priorities and current projects in place. The pilot included projects ranging from improving community centers and renovating parks to neighborhood safety and creating new public art space.
Officials then set up voting booths throughout the city at schools, transit stops and community centers from June 14 to June 20. Young people were encouraged to vote for four of the 14 projects showcased, using digital tools such as SMS, Vimeo videos with Mayor Marty Walsh and a custom built platform for ideation collection, according to New York University’s Governance Lab. Young Boston residents joined Mayor Walsh to celebrate the winners this week, which include:
1. Franklin Park Playground and Picnic Area upgrade ($400,000)
2. Boston “Art Walls,” public spaces for local artists to display work ($60,000)
3. Chromebook laptops for three area high-school classrooms ($90,000)
4. Skatepark feasibility study ($50,000)
5. Security cameras for the community near Dr. Loesch Family Park ($105,000)
6. Paris Street Playground makeover ($100,000)
7. Renovate sidewalks and lighting around two Boston parks ($110,000)
The city worked in collaboration with the Participatory Budget Project (PBP), a nonprofit geared towards assisting local, national and international organizations with empowering citizens to become decision makers in the public budget process. More national cities like Chicago and New York have also pledged to use participatory budget practices in partnership with PBP, but perhaps the key to unlocking greater civic participation is focusing on America’s next generation.
Rather than targeting political messaging to young people, let the youth be the architects creating that message. If we begin to foster an environment that empowers young people to be a part of the solution, improving parks and creating art space is just the start of where we can take American progress.
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