Lower tax revenues with unemployment approaching 10 percent have forced some Illinois towns and municipalities to cut back on fireworks, as CNN.com reports:
In Illinois, CNN affiliate WLS-TV reported that Harvey, Berwyn, Elgin, Gurnee and North Riverside had canceled their shows.
Others have found other ways to have a bang on Independence Day 2009:
The Illinois towns of Elmhurst and Wooddale couldn't foot their own shows, so they chipped in funds for the show in nearby Bensenville, WLS reported. Evanston, Illinois, had to shorten its show, and North Aurora forewent its own show in favor of bolstering the celebration in neighboring Aurora, CNN affiliate WGN reported.
And then there's the good people Joliet:
Joliet, Illinois, almost canceled its 63rd annual skyrocket display because businesses weren't able to send their customary donations. The show had a $23,000 price tag, but local businesses could muster only about $14,000, according to WGN.
City residents were not content to go without fireworks Saturday.
"It's a tradition in Joliet. It's an American tradition. You can't give up on that," said Robert Svarz, who has been attending fireworks shows in Joliet for 50 years, according to WLS.
Residents scraped together the remaining $9,000 to make sure the city staged its show, which draws thousands to Joliet Memorial Stadium and the surrounding parking lots each year.
And despite budget shortages in Chicago, there will be no cutbacks on the lakefront show.
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