Many people have written to NBC 4 and nbc4i.com to ask why, in a difficult economy, the city is spending tax dollars to put on such a lavish fireworks display and celebration.
The good news for taxpayers is: There are no tax dollars being spent on Red, White & BOOM!
The entire cost is picked up by corporate sponsors, fees charged for concession spaces, beverage sales and private-party site rentals.
"I think Red, White & Boom is a shameful waste of money," wrote NBC 4 viewer Vickie Martin. "I'm sure it costs $100s of thousands of dollars to put on this show."
Red, White & BOOM! has a budget of nearly $500,000. That covers the cost of the huge fireworks display plus all the extra police, firefighters and cleanup.
"We pay for those police that are special duty as overtime -- and it's a significant number within the budget," says BOOM! Executive Director Mike Collins. "The police that are normally on duty anyway, or assigned to be on duty, that is picked up by the city because it's part of their direct assignment. It's everything over that that the event pays for."
Collins says the event actually generates tax dollars for the city because it is a huge draw for visitors and tourists. It's the largest one-day event in Ohio.
"It brings in between $8 million to $9 million in economic impact in a one-day proposition," Collins points out. "So, if you just take taxes and bed taxes and put other things on top of this, this is an extremely valuable commodity to the operations of the community."
I see some communities have cancelled, or changed their festivities for this year due to the economy. It appears that the display in Columbus, Ohio is subsidized by sponsors. I would rather see them take that half-million and put on a BIG picnic and day long celebration of our Independence, and invite the homeless and the hungry in Central Ohio. I have always wondered how many homeless and hungry are looking up at the fireworks display, and what is going through thier minds.?
I can imagine nothing worse than some poor child, living in a park or under a bridge, hungry, looking up and watching, as the brilliant fireworks explode in the sky. What thoughts must run through such a child's mind?
