The June 7 primary is quickly approaching, and right on its heels will come the Fourth of July holiday, where countless residents will celebrate with barbecues, block parties and breaking a city law by setting off fireworks.
Fireworks have become a year-round issue in Long Beach despite all forms, including safe and sane, being illegal to use in the city. Long Beach has tried to encourage residents to not use fireworks in the city by offering free block party permits to people who pledge not to light them off but the city has also stiffened penalties.
Last year, the city increased the base amount of fines for fireworks use in the city by amending the city’s municipal code to allow the city prosecutor and city attorney to target property owners as a public nuisance with the prosecution and civil penalties.
The new law would increase penalties for those caught using or selling fireworks by thousands of dollars, not including the cost of public safety employees’ response, damage to property and disposal of fireworks.
The increased penalties came after residents pressured city leaders to address what they said had become a quality of life issue, as explosions of fireworks frightened their pets and could negatively affect veterans.
We asked the three candidates running for city prosecutor this year what they would do to ensure the city’s ban on fireworks is followed. Their full answers can be viewed on our Compare Your Candidates tool.
Nicholas Liddi said he would enforce the laws on the books.
“In addition to the legal violation, fireworks can pose a significant threat to property and life, so we must take this issue seriously,” Liddi said.
George Moyer said the current approach is not working and has wasted tax dollars.
Moyer said the city should look at diversion programs for people arrested for fireworks violations and that the city should look to expand access to public fireworks displays and possibly legalize some for personal use.
“We need to explore the idea of legalizing safe and reasonable fireworks and adopt their sale if they will displace more dangerous and disruptive fireworks,” Moyer said.
Doug Haubert, the incumbent city prosecutor, pointed to a list of measures his department has already implemented to combat illegal fireworks in the city.
It included the fireworks reporting portal that was created in 2020 so residents can lodge complaints about fireworks use, working with the city to amend the city’s ban last year and working on over 140 fireworks cases that were filed with the city prosecutor’s office over the past few years.
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