LOCAL GOVERNMENT SQUEEZE: HERE COME THE FIREWORKS CANCELLATIONS

History lovers may find some humor in the fact that the skies over a city named New Britain were supposed to be dark this Fourth of July.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing funny about the $10 million budget shortfall that forced the city to abandon a national tradition.

Local governments are strapped for cash and many of them — even biggies like Chicago and Cincinnati — have resorted to canceling their July 4 fireworks programs in an effort to control their spiraling deficits.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/06/30/american-spirit-strong-despite-fireworks-cancellations/#ixzz1QoWHqgne