Fireworks Tax and Volunteer Fire Departments

  Local governments must levy a 2% additional fireworks sales tax on top of the county .5%. This 2% goes into a "volunteer fire department" subsidy fund to pay for cost of volunteer fire protection. Lubbock County has 28 such volunteer fire departments. If the "fireworks ban" is enacted the county must then fund all 28 fire departments with other tax revenue like property tax. Fireworks stands must also buy a permit and fireworks can not be returned to vendors,most out of state. Any idea about waiting till the deadline of 2 calender days before fireworks can be sold would leave stand owners holding inventory that is not refundable. Fireworks can only be sold for 20 days per year,once during July 4th and once around New Year's. Lubbock County should have considered and enacted a "fireworks ban" in May like Terry County. The republican County Commissioners Court has proved republican leadership downtown is as "bad as it gets".