Politics & Government
Brooklyn Leaders Decry Lack of East River Fireworks
The lack of fireworks for the fifth year in a row is galling for many, as millions of city residents are stuck without an option for celebrating the Fourth of July.
Once again, the East River will be dark on Independence Day. As dark as an area can be when it suffers from record-setting light pollution, anyway.
The lack of fireworks for the fifth year in a row is galling for many, as millions of city residents are stuck without an option for celebrating the Fourth of July. Brooklyn state Sen. Daniel Squadron and City Councilman Stephen Levin were joined by Public Advocate Bil de Blasio Wednesday to urge the city to bring the fireworks back where they had been for more than 30 years.
"New York's Fourth of July celebration should be a citywide celebration," said Squadron. "Yet year after year, millions of New Yorkers in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan's East Side are left out while we send visitors to New Jersey."
In a refrain familiar since beginning his mayoral bid, de Blasio accused Mayor Michael Bloomberg of relegating the outer boroughs to second-class status.
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During the press conference held in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Squadron and de Blasio said that Macy's — the company which pays for the display — was willing to bring a supplemental show to the East River this year, but were told "no thanks" by the city, citing the expense of paying overtime to the NYPD.
Both de Blasio and Squadron scoffed at the excuse, adding that the city has to pay overtime to officers working during the current celebration anyway.
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"I don't think we've ever been given a good answer," de Blasio said. "How do you take something away from the outer boroughs and don't give an answer why? It's unacceptable. So many people in the outer boroughs are struggling right now, in so many ways. This is insult to injury."
Levin said the city's decision actually hurts from an economic standpoint, with thousands of businesses, including bars and restaurants, on the East Side, Brooklyn and Queens not reaping the benefits of a packed shorefront that they had in years past.
He said that the iconic imagery of years past, with fireworks exploding over the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, needs to make a comeback.
"We need to make sure that is the image going out to the rest of the world next Fourth of July," Levin said.
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