Phoenix administration is preparing tougher penalties for lawbreakers who use illegal fireworks and pose widespread threats ranging from fires and air pollution to the mental health of some veterans and others.
The disclosure by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays came during a City Council Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting that partly looked at the results of a stepped up media campaign and police response to fireworks complaints.
And tougher penalties can’t come soon enough, according to Councilwoman Ann O’Brien and Councilman Jim Waring, who warned that a public education campaign alone is insufficient to deter dangerous behavior that continues to disrupt neighborhoods and threaten public safety…