OLIVE BRANCH, MS--- Folks in Olive Branch, MS like most of us are gearing up for a 4th of July celebration this weekend. According to some reports, the city added an extra $25,000 to an existing $10,000 budget to pay for a big fireworks event. But Mayor Sam Rikard says $35,000 had been approved for the celebration since last year.With these tough economic times, some question whether the city should focus on family fun or financial feasibility.
Rikard says, ”The Fourth of July celebration is our biggest event of the year…our costs for this event this year are $27,200. Last year, we spent $28,800. So were spending fewer dollars this year.”
Rickard says two of the city’s aldermen didn’t agree with the big budget for this year’s celebration. The mayor says, “I would assume they believe that money could be best spend elsewhere.”
But what do taxpayers think?
Olive Branch resident Greg Johnson says, “I think it would be unfair to the taxpayers to not have the display since we as the taxpayers have paid that money. That money has already been allotted, given to the community and $27,000 is not going to go to far anyway.”
Ransom Williams disagrees. “Right now we need to focus on finances. People are losing homes can’t pay their bills and we need to use our money wisely. It was fine 5 or 6 years ago but right now it’s not.”
The mayor says next year’s celebration could be different because priorities and spending change each year. Rikard says, “Myself and the board of alderman work for the people and if this is not the type of even they want us to put on then they need to let us know.”
The Fourth of July Celebration will take place at Olive Branch City Park on Saturday, July 4, 2009 starting at 6:30 p.m.
