Lomita Councilmen Heed Vote Results to Ban Fireworks Sales

Voters made a mistake earlier this month when they called for a ban on fireworks sales, City Council members said this week, but the council decided unanimously to heed the election results.

“I think the voters made a mistake, pure and simple,” said Mayor Hal Hall, referring to two advisory ballot measures in which voters, by narrow margins, said fireworks should be banned.

“They’ve cut the people of Lomita off from over $50,000 for charity every year. However, I represent the majority.”

Most of the standing-room-only crowd at Monday’s council meeting pleaded with the council to ignore the election results. Many were members of local service organizations that derive a large share of their income from fireworks sales.

Allison Uchida, president of Narbonne High School’s Kiwanis-affiliated Keywanettes, said: “Right now we are a service club. By removing our principal source of funding, you’ll turn us into a fund-raising organization instead.”

Validity of Vote Questioned

Some said the vote was not valid because only 13% of the registered voters turned out. Others noted that fireworks sales were supported in a majority of the city’s seven precincts.

But a fireworks foe, Beverly Hart, urged the council to heed the election results: “The election turnout is not in question here. When one of you councilmen refuses a seat on the council because of low voter turnout, then it might be an issue.”

The council put the measures on the ballot after residents of the Rolling Ranchos neighborhood expressed concern about brush fires being started by fireworks. On Proposition A, which asked whether the sale of so-called “safe and sane” fireworks should continue, voters said “no” by a margin of 49 votes out of 1,027 cast. Proposition B, which asked whether sales should continue with increased law enforcement, lost by a larger margin.

Barbara Learnard, a member of Lomita Citizens for Safe and Sane Fireworks, said she believes that voters were confused.

“We have already filed a protest with the California Fair Political Practices Commission,” Learnard said, adding that the complaint claims “unfairness, confusion and mistakes in the writing (of the ballot measures) and tallying.”

‘They Got Some Poor Advice’

Councilman Charles Belba said the measures were defeated for other reasons. “The pro-fireworks people didn’t get out and work,” he said. “They got some poor advice from outsiders. They didn’t have a victory strategy. They just didn’t get out the vote.”

Belba invited the pro-fireworks forces to try again. “I sincerely believe it will be on the ballot in November,” he said. “I think it would be a mistake for all parties if it didn’t show up there.”

The council voted unanimously to draft an ordinance prohibiting fireworks sales and directing the city administrator to refund deposits to groups that have been issued sales permits. The ordinance is expected to be presented to the council May 19 for a formal vote. If passed, the ordinance would take effect by July 4.

“I was in favor of fireworks,” said newly elected Councilman Peter J. Rossick. “But some time back I said I’d go by the vote of the majority. This is not political expediency. This is keeping my word.”

Approval of the ordinance will leave only four South Bay cities that permit fireworks sales: Carson, Hawthorne, Inglewood and Lawndale.