Gov. Perry Agrees To Ban Fireworks In El Paso County Through July 4th

Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday night got on board with County Judge Veronica Escobar’s proposed ban on fireworks through the Fourth of July.

Escobar called for County Commissioners to extend Monday’s disaster declaration, banning the use and possession of fireworks past its 60 hour limit. Escobar said she hoped the extension would prove to the governor that the County was in favor of a 30-day extension that would ban fireworks through July 4th.

The El Paso County Courthouse was packed with fireworks vendors rallying against the ban, but the extension squeaked by with a 3-2 vote, with Dan Haggerty and Sergio Lewis voting against extending the ban.

Commissioners Anna Perez and Tania Chozet sided with Escobar on the grounds of safety, but Haggerty was outspoken in his disagreement with the ban.

“If you’re crazy enough to stand holding a lit firecracker, then you’re just crazy,” said Haggerty in his closing statement,

Montana Vista resident Delia Dellabrado said she spoke out in favor of a fireworks ban on Wednesday because,”I think safety should be first.”

“People’s safety is always at stake,” said TNT Fireworks area manager Fernando Viramontes. “People’s safety is at stake every weekend they drive on the highway.”

Viramontes spearheaded the firework seller’s push against banning fireworks through July 4th. Visibly choked up, Viramontes said fireworks don’t pose an imminent threat, but cutting the cord on their sales, especially during one of the most profitable holidays for vendors, threatens small business owners. “(The loss is) several million dollars,” said Viramontes. “It may put people out of business permanently.”

Dellabrado had this message for local fireworks vendors, “I’m asking for them to put my daughter’s safety before any economic gains or any other gains.”

Judge Escobar said there will be sanctioned fireworks displays throughout the city on July 4th.