No July 4 Fireworks in Newport

No more July 4 fireworks in Newport Beach because of traffic problems, declares the Newport Beach City Council (May 25). And we as residents are supposed to accept that as a reasonable and logical consequence of and solution to our traffic problems. How ridiculous!

Every day the residents of Newport Beach face the problem of traffic pollution caused by business and development projects OKd by the Newport Beach City Council. Police and civil services are allocated to solve those problems. But when it comes to community activities that make our city a home, they are ruled out as contributing to the traffic and police problems.

One of the special nights I have enjoyed each year in Newport Beach is on July 4th, when I can walk with neighbors and friends to the cliffs and revel in the dramatic expression of Independence Day. I haven’t had to travel to the Coliseum in Los Angeles where they still celebrate July 4th with fireworks but have been able to still feel the glory of freedom out in the open air, over a safe ocean or bay, in my community.

So what if one night a year there is increased or standstill traffic while viewers “oh” and “ah” over the display of fireworks?

Newport Beach police are busy, but is it too much for them to devote some extra time to preserving our community as a special place to live?

Or, is all their time to be devoted to controlling and patrolling business development in the city? I suggest that the City Council think twice about what makes Newport Beach so special and use the police force to preserve that.

Let’s stop selling the community and its services out to business development at the expense of the residential community.

BEVERLY J. JOHNSON

Newport Beach