An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Although it was far from a burning issue facing the West Virginia Legislature this year, lawmakers chose to alter the state’s fireworks law to allow more potent “consumer fireworks,” such as bottle rockets, roman candles and other explosive devices.
The reason for this wasn’t clear, other than to try to raise a relatively little bit of money (perhaps a couple of million dollars in a budget exceeding $11 billion) through licensing fees and a “safety fee” on the sale of those fireworks. The money is to be used for a veterans nursing home and to spread among the state’s volunteer fire departments. Both good causes, indeed, but whether that justified the annoyance, disruption and threat to safety that occurred during the Fourth of July weekend is doubtful…
