Here’s one tax that shouldn’t cause an uproar

Houston is considering adding a 2 percent tax on fireworks sales that would be on top of the 2 percent city tax it already has in place.

Now before the anti-tax crowd starts wailing, consider these three items:

First, some of the tax money, if not a lot of it, will be paid by people from outside the borough. Namely Anchorage people who come out here to play.

Second, this is a good way for Houston to raise some money to put toward police or safety departments. Everybody knows the city is so strapped that the mayor was writing tickets at one time.

Third, it will be a popular vote. Don’t want it, don’t vote for it.

And the tax, for the most part, is seasonal. Perhaps there are some sales during the New Year period, but after Labor Day, sales go down and the shops close.

The tax is similar to one that keeps coming up around the state from people who believe we should have a seasonal sales tax to get tourists to chip in while they’re here.

Adding a little cost to fireworks also may make people think before they buy. Houston is the only city where fireworks are legal, so just where are these bottle rockets and heavier artillery being fired off? In the unincorporated areas. Places that rely on volunteer firefighters in stations that may be quite a distance from the blazes that can occur from irresponsible use of fireworks.

While most of those firefighters probably like to see the sky light up like the rest of us, they know the damage that can be done to land, property and people.

Houston is also considering an ordinance that would require fireworks vendors to build permanent structures that meet building codes.

That makes sense. Firewalls and water sprinklers would go along way toward assuring neighbors if the place goes up in flames. Fire codes would be initiated, and one would guess given the product, they might be even more stringent than for most other businesses.

The ordinance also calls for only one sales permit for every 3,000 residents. Since there are four places grandfathered in, another vendor coming in is a long way off — when Houston reaches 15,000 people.

On one hand, limiting competition seems to go against the American way, but there has been no compunctions among the borough or state about limiting the number of liquor licenses out there.