Why hasn”t anyone brought up tax revenue when debating the issue of firework sales? If four non-profits are earning over $15,000 each from the sale of fireworks then that would correlate to a significant amount of sales tax revenue for the city of Lakeport. This is tax revenue that we have lost the last two years that we have not been selling fireworks.
And Measure C adds an additional two percent sales tax that will go directly to the local fire department. Given that they have never had to fight a fire caused by safe and sane fireworks, this tax would go directly to their department budget.
Furthermore, our local police and sheriff can issue citations to any individuals who are illegally setting off fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday. The city of Napa earned over $250,000 by issuing citations for this reason.
And one final point ? last year I saw the exact same fireworks we are talking about not letting local non-profits sell, for sale in the Safeway in Lakeport. Therefore, Lakeport residents can walk into Safeway and buy fireworks but are not allowed to buy them from organizations that lend support to the kids in our community?
Measure C will help Lakeport fiscally by allowing us to collect thousands of dollars in extra tax revenue, while also lending support to local non-profits that are devoted to the betterment of our children.
Tracy Williams
Lakeport
