NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The fireworks at Hyde Park in the City of Niagara Falls are back on, after some debate earlier in the week.
The City Council had decided not to approve a last-minute agenda item that would pay for the annual display. The decision came down Wednesday night at a city council meeting.
That decision was reversed on Friday, when Niagara Choice Federal Credit Union stepped forward to cover the full $25,000 for the fireworks.
On Wednesday, Council Chair Andrew Touma introduced a proposal that would pull $25,000 from the city tourism development tax revenue, or bed tax, to pay for the fireworks show.
When the proposal came to a vote, only three council members were in favor of this measure. Councilman William Kennedy II and Councilman Ezra Scott were the other two council members to vote in favor of the measure.
"You need four votes for an item to be walked on, and only three voted to walk it on," Council Chair Andrew Touma told 2 On Your Side.
Touma told 2 On Your Side that he was initially hoping a private entity would help pay for the cost. This happened last year when the city nearly canceled the fireworks show for financial reasons.
When this didn't happen, he began seeking other alternatives.
One of the council members who voted against the measure was Kenny Tompkins. Tompkins told 2 On Your Side that he wanted to have the fireworks show, but pulling from the bed tax revenue was not the solution he felt the city needed.
"If you drive around the city and if you look at the condition of our city, of our lots, of our grass, of our street, if we’re gonna spend $25,000, we need to spend $25,000 on something that’s gonna really matter," Tompkins said.
The city has a relationship with a vendor who Tompkins says will probably hold the Niagra Falls' regular order until Monday, but if the city cannot come up with the needed funds, then the fireworks show likely will not happen.
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