Aerial fireworks legal in Pennsylvania in move to raise state revenue

A change to Pennsylvania law quietly inserted in the state tax bill this year will be anything but quiet.

Aerial fireworks, the kind that shoot up into the air, go bang, shimmer and sparkle, even bottle rockets, were once banned in Pennsylvania, but are now legal thanks to the state tax bill passed at the end of October.

Before the change, which took effect Oct. 30, people in Pennsylvania could only buy “safe and sane” fireworks, ones that don't fly or explode, like fountains, sparklers and spinners.

Ken Schuchman, who owns three Fireworks Outlet stores in Monroe County, told the Pocono Record that he suspects fireworks will be a popular gift this season .

“For the first time ever people can buy fireworks for Christmas and buy them for stocking stuffers,” Schuchman told the newspaper. “The fact that it's legal, a lot of people are going to buy.”

State lawmakers changed the law to raise more money for the state. The state estimates the change will generate $2.6 million this fiscal year and $9.3 million next fiscal year.

The bill put a new tax of 12 percent on consumer fireworks in addition to the sales and use taxes already in place. Stores that want to sell aerial fireworks must also pay $2,500 for a license application and then an additional $7,500 to $20,000 for license, depending on the store's size. A license application for a temporary store — popular around the Fourth of July — is $1,000. The license costs $3,000.

Not everyone is happy with the law change. Glenn Matra, an owner of Bada Boom Fireworks in the Poconos, called the tax an exorbitant amount of money and worried that allowing temporary shops to sell the fireworks will hurt his brick-and-mortar store.

“I don't see where it's going to be beneficial. I believe that is going to be the bad thing,” Matra said. “Now anyone can just pop up a tent for two weeks and not have the overhead that we have.”

Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at aaupperlee@tribweb.com, 412-336-8448 or via Twitter @tinynotebook.