Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger weighed in again Monday on Fourth of July fireworks, stating that the money raised by charities is far less than the cost of fire damage and that people living in fire-prone areas ought to be "a little less selfish" in considering whether to light fireworks this year.
The Republican governor last week urged Californians to boycott home fireworks, including the "safe and sane" kind sold in many Sacramento parking lots. Appearing Monday at an event promoting an electric-car company in San Carlos, he said he stopped short of a ban because he thinks each community can determine for itself whether fireworks pose a serious risk.
The governor's anti-fireworks stance has been controversial in areas like Sacramento, where families have long purchased fireworks for home use and charities sell them to raise money.
"People say, well, you know, then we cannot raise all this money for these charitable organizations," Schwarzenegger said. "But think about it. How much money do we raise for those charitable organizations? Compare it to the damage that a fire can cause, the homes that it can destroy. Like last year, 2,000 homes and structures, that's so much more expensive."
"So let's be a little less selfish about all of those things and let's just think about the better good for everybody," Schwarzenegger added. "So I just recommend that everybody be very cautious and those that live in dangerous areas not buy any fireworks."
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