Elgin council is all Scrooges
For the first time in my memory, 50-plus years, the city of Elgin will not have a Fourth of July fireworks display. It was a budget revenue related decision by the city council. How sad.
Fireworks displays are the traditional culmination to the celebration of our nation's most important holiday. Somehow, villages and cities around Elgin figured out how to keep their fireworks. After Elgin's fizzled show from last year, there was to be a some sort of credit coming from the company that was responsible for the debacle. Certainly, that could have helped fund fireworks for 2009.
The city council should have tried some creative thinking to make this year's event happen. In addition to applying last year's credit, they could have considered purchasing a smaller show, looking for local corporate sponsors or even charging five bucks a carload for entrance into the park.
What's next? Will the council decide to eliminate the seasonal decorations at Christmas? And "de-light" another holiday? Bah, Humbug to the Elgin City Council!
Richard Ballschmiede
Elgin