Not yet. My guess is that may be mentioned in the official press release.

centurion, I completely agree on all counts!

Centurion,

Isn’t it just a but hypocritical to equate your desire to see fireworks funded by taxpayers money, and without doubt against others peoples desires to being American?

What happened to individual freedoms, a corner stone of what our country once stood for?

Is your desire really that different than that of the OWSer, who want to use our government to take money from one group and give it to another?

I agree with Harold. As nice as the fireworks are, is it really fair to force an elderly Hillsborough resident, who has no interest in seeing fireworks and who is hardly making ends meet, pay for them?

I say, bring on the fireworks and bring on the private funding!! Actually it would be interesting if the township set up a donation box for the fireworks at the municipal building, just to see how many people would really want to pay for them!!!

Curt,
I agree, fireworks are not an essential government service. In my last town local business made donations to pay for them and in return they got sponsorship recognition.

Steve, Part 1

Thanks for your support, I’m usually call a killjoy or worse.

Anyway, a few years back the fireworks were actually canceled by the TC because of budget constraints. Again to Harold’s point, the township was laying off workers back then and also telling the remaining workers, they would have to take pay cuts, and or pay more for their benefits.

I think the TC did the right thing then, when you consider the plight of a laid- off worker watching his salary go up in smoke. (no pun intended) Very distasteful if you ask me.

Then and much to their credit Peter Biondi and TD bank announced they’d sponsor the event. Today, I hope the TC will continue this new paradigm of private funding, and to your point Steve, that of local business making donations to pay for them in return for sponsorship recognition, is an excellent idea!

To my POV, this is the way America works, people voting with their dollars everyday to obtain what they want. Not people demanding the government to take something from someone to give it to someone else!

Steve, Part II

“You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Dr. Adrian Pierce Rogers (September 12, 1931 – November 15, 2005)

I see your points, Curt and Steve. However, people also get the choice how they would like to see government funds allocated when they vote for officials, too. Since there is not a line item veto or approval for every expenditure that a government can make, we entrust our elected officials to make the best decisions regarding any funds that they receive. When the elderly resident in your example feels that her tax dollars would be better spent on other things, she has the ability to go to the polls and elect people she feels would represent her interest. Some people may support the use of some of those funds towards events like a fireworks celebration. Some may not.

Either way, sources of funding for this event have not been announced yet.

And I love the fireworks!

Laura,

Yes indeed, we all do have the right to vote them in or out. As for me, and many others too, I will always choose leadership that shows true stewardship of our American way of life, and our tax money too!

Using the government to provide something for somebody, at someone else’s expense is just plain wrong in my book, and oh BTW that political philosophy has brought forth some dismal, and in fact violent governments in the world's history!

Okay, I guess I might be getting a little heavy here for fireworks, and a nice Sunday afternoon, so i'll exit stage right!

PS, I like the fireworks too, but that is besides the point, at least for this discussion.

Curt, from what I was told by my senior neighbors, the senior citizens groups do a lot of volunteer work for past shows and at other celebrations. That is great that they help out with their time at no cost to the tax payers. I have never been to the fireworks venue, but I guess there may be snack trucks, vendors, etc, there. Not sure if the town charges for permits. But if they don't that is an other way to get some revenue for the fireworks display and show.

Pete Biondi was one of the people that was supposed to fund it last year. I hope it's not postponed either!

I hope you do, too, Steve! They have done a really great job in the past with them.

I'm not sure.... trees may partially obstruct the way. I guess it depends on your vantage point. You could always walk out to Auten Road and see them from there.

Signs around town say 6:30pm for the events at Auten Rd. school. They also say that parking is available at the high school and I believe the middle school. The fireworks themselves don't start until around 9pm, judging by my past experience, because it has to get dark first.