City leaders consider banning Safe & Sane fireworks in Salinas

UPDATE 8:35 p.m.: The Salinas City Council will make a decision on the fireworks ban on August 18th.

On Tuesday night, the city council looked at an ordinance to ban fireworks in the city next year. They did not vote on the ordinance.

PREVIOUS STORY: The future of Safe and Sane Fireworks in Salinas will be decided at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Salinas firefighters have been trying to ban them since 2009.

“It’s just a safety issue,” Battalion Chief Brett Loomis said.

Loomis said what most people don’t know is that they can be just as dangerous as illegal fireworks, especially in these dry times.

“We see just as many vegetation fires from Safe and Sane Fireworks as we do illegal fireworks,” Battalion Chief Brett Loomis said.

He also said people aren’t using them legally, i.e. they’re not allowed on city streets.

But banning Safe and Sane Fireworks also means cutting off the funding supply to a handful of schools and non-profits, selected each year through a lottery system.

Mission Park Elementary scored a booth this July.

“We think we made $11 or $12,000 dollars, it’s still a little early to figure it all out,” Mission Park Elementary Principal Jennifer Zanzot said.

But it’s not too early to decide where it will be spent. The school plans to use the money to keep their “science aid” position and fund all of the materials kids use for science experiments throughout the year.

Confidence Pregnancy Center is another organization that scored a booth this year. The non-profit provides medical treatment, supplies and therapy for low-income moms. Sales brought in about $25,000 this year.

“I would say on the average, a normal fundraiser for us is about $15,000,” Confidence Pregnancy Center Executive Director Christine Morris said.

Both women said the sales are their biggest fundraiser.

“To be able to do it in one, big event really helps, so we don’t have to harass our parents all year long to keep the school running,” Zanzot said.

Loomis, who also runs a non-profit, said he understands their concerns, but said safety comes first.

“We have the ultimate responsibility to make recommendations that we believe are the safest for the public and the visitors to the city of Salinas.”

And the department believes banning them may be the only solution.