Benton Vote Tonight Will Decide Whether or Not to Ban Fireworks Except During Independence Celebrations [Poll]

I'll admit, my opinion may be a little skewed. I live in a rural setting where neighbors target shoot with firearms as late as 9 or 10 at night. It doesn't bother me. Neither do Fireworks. But maybe I'm a rarity.

I'm also very pro business, being in business myself and I hate to see a legal business' wings get clipped because of a few complaints. That's why I'm happy to see that Benton, at least, is taking a vote rather than the town's select board saying, "that's it....no more fireworks!" The meeting is scheduled for tonight (8/11) at 6pm at the Benton Town Office.

I completely understand that animals and humans have an aversion to loud booms in the night. I get it. I get that it wreaks havoc with some animals. I empathize with these folks.

I also empathize with people like Steve Marson (Pyro City/Central Maine Pyrotechnics) who has put a lot of money into the retail stores he's opened all over Maine. To limit consumer fireworks to just one celebration a year (as in Benton's case...the Fourth of July), seems a bit unfair to me.

What do you think? Weigh everything: Fireworks are legal in the state, towns can regulate them however they choose, they bother many people and animals, limiting them to just a few celebrations a year hurts the small businesses that sell them.