An entire generation has grown up with colorful pyrotechnics painting the skies each Fourth of July above downtown’s Discovery Meadow park. Now, after 18 years, the anniversary of America’s independence will be a dark night in San Jose.
Belt-tightening by sponsors, shrinking city grants and mushrooming costs for city services all conspired to douse the fireworks. “It’s a business decision,” says Fil Maresca of Filco Events, which has produced San Jose America Festival since 1998, first in conjunction with the Emergency Housing Coalition and later on its own. During that period, the cost of providing police, fire and other city services has increased ten-fold, from about $7000 to $70,000, Maresca says.
NBC-11 took over as the fireworks show’s lead sponsor after the Mercury News dropped out two years ago, but the broadcaster notified producers last year that the it would be unable to underwrite the 2009 display. Meanwhile, city agencies decreased their commitment while seeking cost-recovery for services it once discounted as a patriotic gesture or downtown stimulus catalyst. The remaining key revenue service — beer sales — wouldn’t generate enough money to pay for the for city services.
The announcement will no doubt come as a blow to downtown businesses already battered by the economy and downtown policing controversies.
“The announcement will no doubt come as a blow to downtown businesses already battered by the economy and downtown policing controversies”
Actually, this will be good for downtown businesses. The throngs of lower imcome families and hoards of police and road closures kill access to the existing buisnesses; so sales are really slow. Although, losing a nights sales for a cultural event is worth it. Perhaps, but doubtfully, the police will cut back overtime on that night.
It is sad not to have a fireworks show. It shows that the mayor cost recovery model is killing inovation, events, and small businesses! Fees and red tape don’t inspire people to do events or open businesses!
Business owner
The city spends 2 million dollars on golf course nets and can’t find a relatively small amount of money for the celebration of the birth of our country? What a bunch of bs.
Let’s get this straight. San Jose can no longer afford to keep the fireworks show going, but they want to spend millions of dollars to bring the A’s here. If the cash-strapped city has to discontinue the fireworks show, then let’s drop this A’s nonsense as well.
Incredible how, in the short span of eleven years, the cost of providing SJ City services could grow from $7,000 to $70,000, a tenfold increase.
I’m certain that our population hasn’t grown by a factor of ten… does that mean that fire and police costs are wholly responsible for the increase?
Leave it to our local government to allow personnel costs to grow like a raging tumor.
In the past, the fireworks event has required a 50k sponsor and about 100k in city grants. Yes, a lot less than a baseball team.
A few months back Mayor Reed and Councilmember Liccardo hosted a Downtown Summit. This event brought together business owners, labor and business leaders, art groups, developers, residents and other folks with an interest in DT with the objective to come up with idea’s to bring activity DT this year with existing funds. There were a number of good and interesting ideas for which three were selected.
I actually presented the idea of using available funds to support existing events already DT, particularly given the tough economic times that was forcing sponsors to pull out. One such example was the San Jose Jazz festival which is facing a tough time and is being forced to make their event smaller.
I never even thought that the 4th of July fireworks show would be a victim, and clearly now maybe the city should have taken an interest in ensuring it happened considering the activity and economic stimulus it brought to DT.
It’s unfortunate that we sometimes neglect the things that we already have that bring so much to DT to come up with new things, that while good ideas will face the prospect of having to build an audience.
In no way do I want to criticize the ideas that were forwarded by the group, because I think they are great including supporting Left Coast Live (see http://www.leftcoastlive.com for more information), however we should have some foresight when it comes to such things so we don’t lose the events that we have already that bring so much to DT (Music in the Park, The San Jose Jazz Festival, Tapestry and Talent and the Blues Festival).
It’s unfortunate that San Jose residents and DT San Jose businesses are going to once again suffer because of the economic decline. I always looked forward to making my way out to Discovery Park with friends to view the spectacular display of fireworks. I just hope we can learn from this as we look towards establishing priorities next year.
Greg and Hugh addressed the points very well.
SVNewsroom also makes the point well.
The A’s Stadium does not belong in San Jose. We cannot afford it, nor should we continue waste efforts while the city is going broke, and more and more citywide pleasures like the fireworks are being cut back.
Common Sense for San Jose is happy that we have another blog site like San Jose Inside that addresses:
a. the dwindling community support for a stadium for the A’s.
b. legitimate concerns expressed by Greg and others about the skyrocketing costs of city personnel while the city’s leadership is out trading baseball cards.
c. Time for a citizen tea party in San Jose focusing not on the feds, but on our city hall, do I have any support for this.
TJ #7—bring a sign that focuses on local issues to the national tea party tomorrww @ Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Since the police will not be needed downtown this year, maybe they can finally do their job and patrol East San Jose. That part of town on the 4th of July is like Bagdhad. Why go downtown or Great America when the local bozos put on a show just as big as those two shows.
Rather than complain how about writing the Mayor and Council demanding that they fund the Fire Works rather than dumping money into the Chamber or other unnecessary ventures? How about donating a few bucks out of your own pocket to make sure our country and its forefathers are remembered and honored? If everyone donated a buck we’d have more than enough money!
We didn’t become the greatest nation by sitting on our A’s and complaining. We fought for our freedoms, and we should fight to keep the memory of that alive by celebrating our Independence Day! Come on folks get active! Get out in your community and collect money for the fire works through your neighborhood associations! And Dan Pulcrano, you’ve got plenty of money, and media to do out reach. You could help our community with the collection of donations to make this happen yourself. Why don’t you use them to keep this celebration alive and well in San Jose?
SJ taking away the one safe thing that parents can do with their little kids. Why not Music in the Park…? Music in the other Park…? Is it becasue those two events generate to much money on DUI’s and drunk in public arrests for the city…
How about X-mas in the Park without the ice rink this year and keep the fireworks for the kids…
If the city wants to cut down on police, fire, and other city workers for the 4th of July, then make alcohol and beer sales off limits for the 4th of July festivities. The cops and fireman aren’t there for the law abiding families, they are there to babysit the drunks. Cut out the drunks and you can cut out the cops. Can’t we use some of the
31 billion dollars California got from the stimulus plan for some fireworks?
What exactly would we give the A’s? The city already owns the land and the A’s have said they will build their own stadium. As far as I can see, it looks like the only cost of a team playing there is about what it would be to develop anything on that site, except with a lot more foot traffic that helps business and thus tax revenue. People just love to get angry about stadiums because the tradition has been one of handouts for so long.
Kathleen,
Yours is a good sentiment to be sure, but be careful what you wish for, as the saying goes. Anytime money from a new source is introduced to pay for a city service, it soon becomes the norm and later becomes not enough.
Witness the special library property tax assessment: local government touted it as the best thing since sliced bread to keep our libraries stocked and open. But then look what happened – as soon as the new revenue source was in place, the general fund ran bone dry for the library.
I suggest that if we each were to cough up a buck for the fireworks display this year, we’d be held hostage next year for five bucks, ad nauseum. To be on the safe side, whenever government promises what appears to be a good deal, back up to the closest wall and grab your wallet.
Nam Turk, you point out that the city owns the land proposed for the A’s stadium. Will the A’s pay the city fair market price for the land and increased city services [police] that will be required if they relocate here? Somehow, I don’t think so. Taxpayers will get screwed on this one. Kathleen wants me to chip in for the fireworks, but I pay already through my sky-high taxes.
When I first read the headline (“Fireworks show is over”) my reaction was “good.” Why? Because of the environmental toxins that are spewed into the atmosphere with every blast, whether it’s downtown SJ, Great America, or wherever. Fireworks, even the “green” ones negatively impact our environment (the cumulative effects are huge) and besides, blasting gunpowder into the air isn’t the only way we can honor our forefathers and celebrate the birth of our country, is it?
There are so many bright people on SJI that I’m surprised I haven’t heard folks start making plans for an equally fun, family celebration sans fireworks in Discovery Meadow. This may be a great opportunity to get our DT businesses to host a massive 4th of July party, similar to how local businesses help sponsor Willow Glen’s “Dancin’ on the Avenue.” (Disclaimer: I have not personally attended either event, however I’ve heard they are really fun.)
For the record, I love traditions and I know for me that giving them up is hard, especially if I feel “entitled” to them. However, it helps to remind myself that as one door closes another one opens and very often there are new traditions I can start if I keep an open mind, stay positive, and get creative. It seems like the time is right to get creative with more environmentally friendly celebrations.
Tina
Canceling the 4th of July Fireworks and Festival makes my blood boil. Note that the Cinco de Mayo Festival is still on, but the City manages to make the 4th of July Festival uneconomic by charging too much for police and fire protection. So we have enough money to celebrate our Mexican heritage, but we charge too much to celebrate our American heritage. Is this not the ultimate double standard?
Mark
#13. Giving away city-owned land, some of which is currently slated to become part of the Los Gatos Creek trail parks system, to a for-profit business is not a handout?
17: They took err jerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrb!!!!!!!!!!!
#13 Nam Turk,
Could not have said it better myself. While the fireworks show being cancelled is unfortunate, trying to thwart our city’s efforts to obtain Major League Baseball (because that effort somehow affects this once a year show?) is just plain ludicrous!
Lew Wolff/A’s will privately finance a ballpark (in layman’s terms, that means they’ll pay for it themselves), and any infrastructure costs to the surrounding area will occur regardless if a ballpark is built or not.
But just for the sake of argument; a 32,000 seat ballpark that fills downtown 81+ times per year with (as NM stated) foot traffic and tax revenue/development beyond our wildest dreams? Or a once a year nightly event which lasts about, what, an hour at best? For the record, I imagine Cisco Field downtown will have tremendous fireworks shows over the course of a baseball season, even on the 4th!
#7,
How about some common facts to go with your supposed common sense?! Dwindling community support for the A’s in SJ? We cannot afford something that we won’t pay for? Come again?!
In response to #20
“The San Jose City Council on Tuesday confronted a widening budget deficit by debating whether they are panicking amid signs of recovery or failing to reckon with a looming catastrophe.”
Mercury News
It really is time to ask the Civil Grand Jury to take a lot at this A’s Stadium effort.
#17-Mark,
THANK YOU and well said! I guess equality doesn’t exist even when it comes to events~
TJ Common Sense (or lack thereof),
Go ahead and ask a Civil Grand Jury to look at SJ’s proposal for a potential A’s ballpark. It will be the easiest case they ever dealt with…because, AGAIN, Lew Wolff/A’s will PRIVATELY finance a ballpark, meaning THEY will pay for it, NOT THE CITY.
Yes, San Jose (Redevelopment Agency) will pay for surrounding infrastructure improvements, most important being the new Autumn Parkway. But this was going to happen anyway, ballpark or not, because of future Diridon Transit Center-Diridon/Arena development. Talk about a powerful stimulus for the local economy!
Heck, maybe the A’s and their sponsors can bring back the fireworks/America Festival!
By the way TJ, are you going to pay for the Civil Grand Jury?
Mark (#17),
Your point literally jumped off of the page and hit me square between the eyes! Our City politicians exhibit an incredible level of reverse discrimination in this instance.
Am I surprised? Not at all… being politically correct and kissing arse have become the two most important requirements for holding office.
“Yes, San Jose (Redevelopment Agency) will pay for surrounding infrastructure improvements, most important being the new Autumn Parkway.”
Fiddle, Fiddle while Rome goes down. Tony D has a beer and a hot dog while San Jose goes broke, all on the city.
Since we’re finally on the downsizing of gov’t/budget bandwagon with the fireworks show, let’s take a look at a few other expenses on the city’s website. And yes, these are only a few…
$175,000 Arena Authority
$100,000 Arts Venture Fund
$300,000 Children’s Discovery Museum
$300,000 Day Laborers Program
$1,000,000 Economic Incentive Fund
$200,000 Historic Preservation
$900,000 History San Jose
$800,000 Mexican Heritage Plaza
$270,000 Public Art
$130,000 Grand Prix Close Out
$900,000 Green Vision
$500,000 Museum of Art
$300,000 Repertory Theater
$300,000 Shopping Center Improvement
$600,000 Sports Authority
$300,000 Sports Opportunity Fund
$100,000 Stevens Creek Auto Row
$1,300,000 Tech Center of Innovation
$500,000 Animal Care Program
$600,000 Via Monte Youth Center
$400,000 Washington Area Youth Center
$300,000 Neighborhood Clean ups
$200,000 Neighborhood Revitalization
$800,000 Strong Neighborhood Initiative
$150,000 Weed & Seed, East San Jose
$700,000 Domestic Violence Prevention Program
$200,000 Street Tree Planting
$400,000 Arena Community Fund
$200,000 Arts Stabilization Flex Fund
$1,700,000 Arts Stabilization Loan Fund
$400,000 City Manager Special Projects
$300,000 City outreach/education efforts
$50,000 Employee Performance Surveys
$70,000 Employee Recognition Program
$75,000 Employee Suggestion Awards
$100,000 Mayors education initiatives
$350,000 Service delivery model reviews
$140,000 Pandemic Flu Planning
$250,000 Retiree Healthcare Team
$500,000 Revenue enhancing consulting svcs
$30,000 Sports hall of fame plaques
$2,000,000 Senior staff home loan assistance
$13,000,000 Sick leave retirement payments
$150,000 Continuous Improvement Program
Does Cinco de Mayo feature fireworks? If not, that’s probably a big selling point for a cash-strapped city. One is more of a gathering, the other is a production. The latter is obviously going to be costly and nobody is stopping you from celebrating the Fourth in the meadow on your own.
I don’t think that will stop the Minute Men here from crying “racism” though.
Turk, it’s amazing just how intelligent and god-like you are. Duhhh… yeah, they’ll save on the fireworks. But the cost of police in full combat dress rounding up gang members will be 100 times that of the police presence at the fireworks display.
SJ is really in a jam if it can’t keep the free bread and circuses going for the masses.
#29 – Uh, thanks for that list.
Calling Pierluigi Oliverio!
Can you answer a few questions about the expenses #29 posted? It would be most appreciated.
$200,000 Street Tree Planting – Why not use Our City Forest and their free trees?
$400,000 Arena Community Fund – What is this?
$400,000 City Manager Special Projects – Define “special projects” and are there any examples?
$2,000,000 Senior staff home loan assistance – Huh??? What is this?
$150,000 Continuous Improvement Program – What exactly are they improving?
Tina
Joe Average,
Most of the big ticket items on your list are off the table.
If a propopsed budget cut would in any way compromise the privileged status of any City employee then it must be rejected.
If, on the other hand, a proposed budget cut would only have a negative impact on the lowly, undeserving public, then it is worthy of due consideration.
After all, we the people only exist so that we may humbly and faithfully serve our revered public servants.
Greg Howe and some others….
I guess your missing the point of the problem here. It’s not what the city is giving to have fireworks; it is the cost recovery of fees. Meaning Huge increase in fees to the city.
Why doesn’t the city just turn back the clock on the fee structure; making it cheaper to do events? Little sweat equity from the city staff could go a long way to bring more life to san jose!
At a price of about $600K, we had great fireworks in District 7 this year. Hope you all enjoyed them.
What the baseball forgets is that the effort of city staff is finite. The more time they have to spend dealing with baseballs and not efforts to fund city parks is time wasted.
San Jose needs leaders who are focusing on less city services in a era of rising costs and rising fees.
Why are there no task forces led by Cortese dealing with generating economic progress, or generating new green industries for San Jose?
The A’s Stadium is a distraction and San Jose can ill afford it.
Dang! I loved the 4th of July fireworks. A highlight of my year was either walking with friends downtown to watch or watching from the fire station on Auzerais or the 280 and Bird Avenue freeway overpass. It was the capper to my best day of the year.
Can’t we have a fundraiser with Smashmouth, the Smothers Bros, Dr. Loco and other local celebrities to get this going again? Why doesn’t Lew Wolfe cough this up? He’s made a fortune paving our paradise into a parking lot and he stands to make more if he can get the A’s here (of which I am opposed to, too).
#30-Nam Turk,
Cinco De Mayo costs the City a fortune. The amount of Police it takes to keep some of the rowdies in line is mind-boggling. Have you ever been DT and seen how bad it is? I have. If they are going to nix our American Independence Day celebration because of money, I say equal treatment says bye bye to Cinco De Mayo too. This is after all America right?
Everyone is forgetting that if Cinco De Mayo is canceled then there will be accusations of racism, and riots. On the other hand, canceling the 4th of July will just result in some grumbling and moaning, and will soon be forgotten.
Nam, you’re a blemish on this blog – you couldn’t debate your way out of a paper bag.
“Go ahead and do as you were going to, minus fireworks. Big deal. There’s a whole lot more to that holiday.”
I think you are grossly understating the importance of this tradition and holiday Nam Turk:
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/video/featured-stories/traditions-fireworks
“And as a sidenote, Cinco de Mayo is more American than it is Mexican, as that country barely recognizes it compared to us.”
Then the City should cancel it and use the money for Cinco De Mayo to fund OUR AMERICAN holiday.
Thanks Joe Average,
I started the Hall of Fame at what is now the HP Pavilion. At That time it was the San Jose Arena. I provided the first 6 years. Once the new Gonzales guy took office, we were out of the loop. No reason was ever given. We were not even given the courtesy of having some one tell us we were no longer appreciated.
San Jose has not been good to The Village Black Smith. I understand the politics of power and institutionalized pressure. But 30 thousand, we never saw.
If the city wants to save some money, give us back what we created and save some money.
I felt that gonzales guy would come to no good after what he did to Us.
Guys like me carry a lot of pain, and never complain. But 30,000 dollars. That is obscene. Bring the Hall of Fame back to San Jose.
http://www.bronzemanufacturer.com
The Village Black Smith
Why are you so hung up on what’s “American?” We live in California, a state that’s never been the epitome of the United States experience anyway. Until you have proof that the city is spending more on Cinco de Mayo and completely banning all 4th of July celebrations, hold your tongue. Next you’ll be whining for “White History Month.” This is a total non-issue. All they’ve done is cut back on a fireworks display, not prohibit your right to jingoism.
#41-Nam Turk,
My Father’s service to this country, and this country welcoming my Mother and sisters into its arms during the Nazi occupation in Germany, gives me every right to be proud of and love this country enough to want to see its traditions honored over ANY OTHER country in the US. If you don’t like that Nam Turk you know what you can do.
You live here in the freest country in the world, with the most resources and privileges, and expect freedoms to be handed over to you without one dam bit of gratitude toward the Vets who fought for, and are PRESENTLY fighting for YOU, and millions of others to enjoy the comforts you take for granted every single day of your life. So what the hell would keeping an American tradition like 4th of July and fire works matter to you?
Obviously you have never served in the military, nor has your Father, brother, son, wife, sister, uncle, cousin etc. My Father PROUDLY fought in 3 wars, and received the Purple Heart for his bravery. He fought for YOUR freedom to mouth off about something YOU know nothing about.
Having been raised in the military, my friends and I stood frozen while we watched as the Officer and the Priest, or Minister, in the official black cars pulled up in my neighborhood. We were terrified to see which door they went to. They only carried bad news like,” We regret to inform you maam that your husband, son, or daughter is dead, or MIA.” It was something I will never forget.
Fourth of July and fire works was a time our families sat together to honor our family members fighting overseas. It was a way for us to feel close to them, and to make them know this country didn’t forget them. It was a way Nam Turk, of remembering every single man and women who gave up their lives for us. It was a way to honor the very freedoms our forefathers fought so hard to get us. Now if that isn’t worth a few fire works to you Nam Turk, you are one lost sole~
#41 – Nam Turk:
Yes, the City is spending money on Cinco de Mayo. To start with, they bailed out the organization that holds this celebration every year, and continues to. It was in the paper – you must have seen it. There are a lot of other ways the City is spending it’s money on Cinco de Mayo – matching funds, grants, etc. Now, I don’t have a problem with celebrating another culture – that is a very American thing to do. I do have a problem with spending money on Cinco de Mayo, or any other cultural fair, and, at the same time, canceling fire works for the 4th of July, the date our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence, and started on the road to forming this great nation, due to insufficient funds.
I also understand this City is in very dire financial straits, and has a budget crisis. But the 4th of July is the most important date in our nation, and our forefathers used fireworks as a way of celebrating our freedom from England. It has been celebrated this way since the time of President John Adams. Our City has been celebrating it for decades. To cancel this tradition now, especially when we are funding other cultural celebrations, is wrong.
Why didn’t the Council look at all the celebrations going on, and take an even handed approach to the City’s Financial invovlement? We pay millions every year for things like public art, and yet, you are telling me that is more important than our Nation’s Birthday? It has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with honoring our AMERICAN tradition, and our Veterans who fought for, and are fighting for our “Independence” every day.
If every San Jose citizen kicks in just 15 cents we can have a fireworks show downtown. Start passing the plate.
It just gets worse! Just when it seems the comments can’t deteriorate further, they sink even lower. #43 now knows everything about Nam Turk including his military service or lack thereof. You must have been doing a lot of research to come up with that. And #44 can’t celebrate “the most important date in our nation” without taxpayer paid fireworks. And then he goes on to connect the funds for public art (which he knows cannot be spent on anything else)and the lack of funding for fireworks.
And of course, threaded throughout these arguments is the thinly veiled attack on “non-American” activities like Cinco de Mayo.
I’m a white guy, proud of my European heritage and proud of the heritage of everyone else. As long we pit each other against one another all the fireworks in the city aren’t going to bring civil discourse to this discussion.
I know we are way past getting along, but at least raise the level of posts here. If, for some reason, people around the country were to peek in here and read some of the comments, they would be as astounded as I am by most of these emotional tirades.
Lets try to do better.
Kathleen, my grandfather fought in the South Pacific. The only reason I’m alive is because he survived. That doesn’t make me a chest-thumping idiot, though. All I did was point out that not all facts concerning the two holidays have even been disclosed. I personally acknowledge the Fourth every god damn year. Not once have I celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Does that mean I have to draw a line in the sand and make this a tense, partisan issue? Hell no.
Greg Howe, you’re a blemish on the 21st century. Go light your house on fire and really stick it to our racist city.
Are they nixing the Fourth of July or just the fireworks? I think people may be finishing a sentence that’s already complete. I’m sure people are still free to gather. It’s not as if fireworks are driving Cinco de Mayo, yet people show up. Go ahead and do as you were going to, minus fireworks. Big deal. There’s a whole lot more to that holiday.
And as a sidenote, Cinco de Mayo is more American than it is Mexican, as that country barely recognizes it compared to us.
And some of you people vilify us for objecting to our taxes being used to support a Government that is so thoroughly misguided and incompetent that it provokes the sort of rancour and divisiveness that we see here?
#46-Unbelivable says, “And of course, threaded throughout these arguments is the thinly veiled attack on “non-American” activities like Cinco de Mayo.”
Attack? In your perception that may be true, but it seems you need to practice what you are preaching. Since when is being proud of America, and its long standing traditions something I need to defend? Being patriotic does not make me or anyone else racist just because we want an American tradition in the US, to take precedence over “non American” celebrations. I have a right to want to honor this country and to be proud of being American without being hassled for it.
You then say, “Lets try to do better.” I would agree with that. To have civil discussions one must be respectful of another’s beliefs without making statements like, “Why are you so hung up on what’s “American?” or, “Next you’ll be whining for “White History Month.” This is a total non-issue. All they’ve done is cut back on a fireworks display, not prohibit your right to jingoism.” Now if I said that to a person of color, I guess you can guess what I’d have to hear on here.
Too many times SJI contains columns on the supposed racist treatment of Latinos, the unfair treatment of illegal immigrants, but when we disagree on how our Police, or our Police Chief, or our government, or our Mayor and Council handle those problems, we are attacked and called, racist, or white privileged bigots etc. I am personally sick of it.
I like you believe we can have civil discussions on topics without personal attacks being made. But if you call Nam Turk’s comments in his posts innocent you are being unfair, and bias. Both Christian and I presented the facts, and if people don’t want to face them, well I think that is their problem.
#47-Nam Turk,
Please thank your Grandfather for his service, and even though you can be a pain, I’m glad you survived and that you’re here to exchange ideas and thoughts with.
If you look at some of the comments you made to me in your post #41, I think you would have to be honest enough to admit you crossed the line. In future, drop the race card, and we can have a civil discussion.
And by the way, Cinco De Mayo is an awesome holiday to celebrate, but as you know, it isn’t free of its problems, nor is it a free event. Taxpayers fund it. The City has to pay for policing the rowdies, and to me, if they can pay for a non-American celebration then they can pay for an American one. It is just that simple.
Nam, my oh my, did someone run out of their meds? Sounds like you need a little nappy.
49—Maybe you could direct some of your peace and love request towards #50. He consistently adds nothing but insults to this blog. Maybe he just feels unloved and unappreciated for his substance-lacking comments. Please send some hugs his way—he seems to desperately need them.
Doc Holiday,
Greg and Nam Turk can handle their own discourse. But I’ll send you a hug a good instigator needs one!
Some of these people on here need to go back to where ever they came from! Especially you, Nam! They 4th of July and fireworks have gone hand in hand for years. QUOTE: “I’m sure people are still free to gather. It’s not as if fireworks are driving Cinco de Mayo, yet people show up. Go ahead and do as you were going to, minus fireworks. Big deal. There’s a whole lot more to that holiday.” Every year (since ‘97), I looked forward to going down town with family/friends. Getting pizzas at House of Pizza (which would be packed as hell!), and enjoying the afternoon with thousands of other San Jose folk, as we waited for the fireworks. Are there other ways to celebrate the 4th? Sure. But to do so that brings an entire city together? No.
“This is a total non-issue. All they’ve done is cut back on a fireworks display, not prohibit your right to jingoism.” This statement is also stupid. It’s like saying, you can still celebrate Christmas, you just can’t have a Christmas tree visible through your front window.
And don’t even get me on the Cinco de Mayo topic! Last year, it took me almost 2 hours to get from HWY 17/101 to 280/101 to 280 at Bird Ave because of all the cars with Mexican flags draped over their hoods! At least the fireworks DT are scheduled; you know what to expect!