Juneau Assembly to hear public comment on proposed regulating, taxing of fireworks

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The on-again, off-again fireworks policy in Juneau is once again up for public discussion.

After the City and Borough of Juneau canceled the official firework show last July 4th, Juneauites bought fireworks from Tlingit-Haida Central Council and shot them off in their neighborhoods. It was a bit haphazard and some neighborhoods didn’t enjoy it as much as others.

The discussion regulate fireworks that make a “bang.” At Monday night’s Assembly meeting the public will be able to weigh in on the draft ordinance that has a general prohibition of concussive fireworks except under certain conditions:

A person may use concussive fireworks for personal use when all three conditions are met: (i) on private property with the permission of the property owner or on designated public property, (ii) outside the fire service area, and (iii) only on New Year’s and Fourth of July as defined by this chapter.

According to the ordinance, fireworks would not be able to be lit between 10 pm and 10 am on those two holidays. Most fireworks on the Fourth of July in Juneau, however, are lit late in the evening on July 3, when it gets dark enough to see them. Juneau and other Alaska towns like the idea of being the first in the nation to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks. The proposed ordinance would curtail that longstanding tradition, which began long before Tlingit Haida Central Council began its firework stand.

In addition to putting clarified rules around fireworks in Juneau, a second draft ordinance would allow the city to tax the sale of fireworks even if they are sold by a nonprofit such as Tlingit Haida.

The items are up for public hearing at the 7 pm May 24 Assembly meeting:

5 COMMENTS

  1. The Libs always seem to be the fun police. Misery loves company and libs only get enjoyment out of making others unhappy.

  2. Our police department is already overworked and have much more important things to attend to. Chasing fireworks is a total waste of time. We have a few very vocal liberals in the downtown area who make a big stink about this every year. It’s funny, they don’t like the police until they want to make new rules. Now, we need the police to enforce their firework ordinance. Go figure…

  3. Sales tax is an interesting concept…two private parties wish to engage in free trade to their mutual benefit and a third party that offers nothing of value and isn’t a party to the exchange steps in between and extracts a fee under threat of force.
    It would be considered a crime if it were anyone but the government.
    The end result is the same though – pay up or else.

  4. Creating taxes to make up for the lost revenue in their limiting amount of time cruise ships are allowed to be in port

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