What Motivated Mickey Haddock to Sponsor the Fireworks Law?

The Anderson family of Florence contributes to many politicians and political causes. We haven’t checked to see if any Andersons have contributed to Steve Holt or Susan Goode, but it’s highly probable they have. We do know the Anderson family has given $7,500.00 to current Florence mayor Mickey Haddock during this year’s mayoral contest.

One of the Anderson family’s principal companies is TNT Fireworks located in the Florence Industrial Park. Is there big money in fireworks? We assume there is. Yet fireworks are legally sold in Florence only in July and December. There aren’t too many retail businesses that operate only 1/6 of the year.

Therefore we ask why rules are needed to govern such businesses? Obviously, there is a need for certain rules in order to maintain safety. Rules of taxation also are important to the running of city government. Anything else?

The City of Florence apparently thinks so. For a business to sell fireworks out of a permanent location, it must have had a wholesale business presence in Florence for the past five consecutive years…although the law actually reads “concurrent” for some unknown reason:

Ethics Complaint

In short, the recently passed Florence law means that for the next five years, only permanent stores owned by TNT may legally sell fireworks in the city. Is there a point to this law other than to give TNT a monopoly? If there were five such businesses in the Shoals, we would still have to ask what the point of such a law is?

If a business is licensed, pays taxes, and abides by all safety regulations, what is the problem? The new law was dreamed up and sponsored by Mayor Mickey Haddock. He has yet to answer as to his motivation.

Politicians are much like children. Tell a five year-old not to take more than two pieces of candy from the bowl, and he will take three. If no one calls his hand, the next day he will take four; the day after he will take five. Our mayor and city council are much like that child. They’ve performed many slights of hand the past few years. Now is the time to say “Enough!”

Ethics complaints take months to be processed through the system. By the time the Alabama Ethics Commission rules on the validity of the complaint against Haddock, etal. the election will be long over. Vote for a change on October 4th. Vote for Steve Holt and Kaytrina P. Simmons!