The skies over Georgia could be getting a lot brighter soon, with Gov. Nathan Deal considering a bill that would legalize the sale of fireworks in the state.
The issue has been bandied around the Capitol for years, but on April 2, the state House voted decisively in favor to send House Bill 110 to the governor. A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article indicated that Deal was leaning toward signing the bill, favoring the economic positives despite safety concerns raised by firefighters and health groups opposed to the legislation.
In the article, Deal raised the fact that Georgians already are buying fireworks in bordering states like Tennessee, Alabama and Florida, where sales are legal.
"By and large, I think we acknowledge that citizens of Georgia are buying fireworks in adjoining states," Deal told the AJC. "And the issue of safety is simply a question of whether or not somebody can afford to cross the state line and buy fireworks."
"Bomber" fireworks are displayed on shelves at Dixieland Fireworks in East Ridge on April 11, 2015.Hamilton County and its municipalities don't allow fireworks sales. The exception is East Ridge, just over the Georgia state line, which got state legislation passed in 2011 to legalize fireworks sales.
Before then, local folks looking for an explosive good time used to have to travel to Marion or Bradley counties. But former state Rep. Vince Dean, now Hamilton County Criminal Court clerk, persuaded fellow lawmakers to pass long-desired legislation that would allow East Ridge to cash in by satisfying that demand closer to home.
Despite opposition from some residents and local officials, like District 8 County Commissioner Tim Boyd, the law took effect in July 2012 and soon four stores popped up in East Ridge -- TNT Fireworks, Dixieland Fireworks, Exit 1A Fireworks and Phantom Fireworks.
Boyd still thinks fireworks stores in East Ridge are a bad idea, but said he didn't think East Ridge's bottom line would be affected by legalizationin Georgia.
"I don't think fireworks have added much in the way of sales tax revenue," he said. "I didn't see any significant bump in revenue because of firework sales between 2011 and 2014."
Clyde Locke, owner of Dixieland Fireworks, wasn't overly concerned about any potential decline in his business from Georgia customers.
"Nah, we've got Bass Pro [Shop] coming here," Locke said. "It's going to draw millions of people out here. If it wasn't for Bass Pro, it would probably take some business. But this will be our fourth year [open] and we've already got our business built up."
J.B. Brown, an employee at Exit 1A Fireworks, was also untroubled. He doesn't think Georgians are a significant part of his customer base.
"A lot of our business is interstate highway travelers," Brown said. "Especially this last month, with everyone on spring break, all of my business was people from Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, all on their way to Florida."
The other two stores, TNT and Phantom, are national outfits with several locations in the region.
Contact Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.