Pennsylvania law reaping $11M in fireworks taxes and fees under scrutiny over unleashing 'war zone'
Noise, accidents and public frustration tied to increased use of fireworks are putting a spotlight on a 2017 measure that generated millions of dollars in revenue for the state by greatly expanding Pennsylvanians’ access to fireworks.
The measure was tucked into an unrelated bill that was passed by the Legislature and became Act 43 of 2017. An earlier attempt to pass a standalone bill on fireworks had stalled.
The language in Act 43 allowed for the sale to Pennsylvanians aerial devices like bottle rockets and Roman candles and also carried a new tax and expanded licensing fees.
Speaking this week after media reports about fireworks-related injuries and damage, Rep. Frank Farry, a Bucks County Republican, said the fireworks measure should not have been in Act 43, a tax code bill.
Read more: https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pa-fireworks-money-20190703-zxhyryxnqbdttjtaaljabm54wy-story.html
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It was nuts! Yes there were tons of M80s, bottle rockets, the little packs of firecrackers we used to call "lady fingers." The worst part was they were shooting them off for a whole week. It wasn't just on the 4th. Parents can't control their kid any more, at least not the teenage boys.
I must be an old fogie because kids were lighting these things right out in the street in front of my house, and my dog went batshit crazy.
