Realize pipedreams before funding fireworks

Let me confess right up front that I am not a flag-waving, my-country-right-or-wrong patriot.

But I do enjoy celebrating the 4th of July. And I do enjoy a good fireworks show as much as the next guy.

In fact, one of my fondest childhood memories is watching the fireworks at Flint Park, a long-gone local amusement park in my Michigan hometown. The 4th of July is a great time to remember what our country is supposed to stand for and to indulge in some burgers and dogs and spirits and other good stuff while doing so.

Having said that, I couldn’t help but cringe when the Town of Payson issued a press release about its 4th of July festivities. Part of the cringe could be attributed to the crush of people and traffic that always materializes that weekend.

Yes, I understand how vital it is to our economy. I am a big proponent of tourism. It beats the heck out of new subdivisions. And those three hellish holiday weekends a year are truly a small price to pay.

So if that were all that caused the cringe, I would have gone merrily on my way. But there was a line in that press release that I wish had simply been left out. Some things I’d rather not know.

But it was there, and now it’s here:

“Special thanks to the Northern Gila County Sanitary District and the Town of Payson’s Water Department for providing this year’s fireworks display!”

I don’t know about you folks, but I have a problem with those two entities paying for fireworks. It’s kind of like a separation of church and state thing for me.

Why should even one penny of the money set aside to provide two of the most important services government provides its citizens be used for a non-essential commodity.

Now I know that without fireworks our chance of luring great quantities of tourists for the 4th of July would be greatly diminished. And I have no problem with government stepping in and helping the economy by providing said fireworks.

But the Town of Payson just enacted a controversial water rate increase. Meanwhile, Blue Ridge/C.C. Cragin, for all its promise, is still a very literal example of a pipedream.

It would have been hard for me to complain until this year. I don’t live in Payson. But this summer, Brooke Utilities started buying water from the Town of Payson to supplement the water supply in Mesa del Caballo. So now a portion of what I pay for water is going to pay for fireworks.

And the monthly fee charged by the Northern Gila County Sanitary District has increased dramatically since I moved here 12 years ago. In fact, I’m guessing that right next to the increased cost of health care comes the increased fees charged by NGCSD. I’ve heard many of you say the same thing.

I would guess the justifications for the town water department and the sanitary district paying for the fireworks are that it’s a public relations gesture and they are two government entities that can afford it in this down economy.

I understand the importance of public relations. I was in that business once. But folks, we don’t have a choice when it comes to where we buy our water or sanitary services, so what’s the need for PR?

And if those two entities are so flush that they can spend thousands on fireworks, why the constant rate increases?

One of the things my mother always told me was to try and be part of the solution instead of the problem. So please allow me to offer a better to way to handle this situation next year.

I realize that government money is government money. So if we all agree it’s in our best interests to have government pay for a fireworks display to help the economy, what difference does it make where it comes from?

It’s perception, folks. If the Town of Payson wants to pay for fireworks, go for it. If Parks and Recreation wants to pay for fireworks, more power to them.

Just move the money around so I am not being told that a portion of the money I pay for water and sewer is being diverted to something that is none of those two entities’ business. Do it so I don’t even know that the money is being shuffled.

Or give our local chamber of commerce that much more from town coffers with the understanding that it be used to pay for fireworks. How’s that for laundering money?

And while you’re at it, get Star Valley to pay its fair share. It certainly wouldn’t be much since Payson receives the lion’s share of benefits, but it would help.

And what about Gila County? The communities of Pine and Strawberry, among others, benefit from the fireworks show, so why shouldn’t GC kick in a few bucks.

We all agree the show must go on, but it shouldn’t be subsidized by public works money.