Holiday worth the extra money

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Congratulations to the mayor of Everett for adding to the celebration commemorating our independence. Had I not heard about the additional $8,000 the city added, I would not have gone to Everett that night to enjoy the show. I know many more people felt the same way. The crowd was great.

People are so concerned about frivolous spending that they can’t see the forest for the trees. How many people were drawn to the city of Everett for this show? How many spent money there that evening or decided to come back when it was less crowded? These numbers can’t be measured, but it’s good for the economy to draw crowds to the city. Businesses that benefit from the crowds also generate tax revenue for the city. And what about our Navy men and women who are thousands of miles from their homes? Do we not want to show them how they’re appreciated?

Why aren’t these people who complain about the fireworks also complaining about the beautification of the downtown area? Didn’t that cost money that could have been spent elsewhere? These things attract businesses and customers, all of whom bring money with them – a portion of which ends up in the city’s coffers.

Kudos to the mayor for a making the right choice.

Snohomish