Anaheim : Council Will Consider Fireworks Referendum

Because of the persistence of City Councilwoman Miriam Kaywood, who for years has been working for a ban on fireworks, the City Council at its March 19 meeting will consider placing the issue before the voters.

Kaywood has tried repeatedly to persuade the council to approve a ballot measure that, if approved, would ban the sale and use of fireworks, but she has been supported only by Councilman Ben Bay.

Last week, Kaywood cited a survey recently commissioned by Bay in which 70% of the voters who responded said they would like to see fireworks outlawed in the city.

“I’ve talked to thousands of people over the last few years who tell me they’re afraid to leave their homes on the Fourth of July,” she said.

Kaywood said the March 19 date was set because she wants to work out the wording of the measure so that voters will be able to vote “no” if they don’t want fireworks and “yes” if they do.

“I wanted time to perfect it,” she said.

The measure would go before the voters no earlier than the June, 1986, primary, she said, because calling a special election would be too costly.