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View Full Version : TNT opposes legal fireworks in Virginia?



displayfireworks1
02-20-2014, 09:42 AM
Please read this copy and paste of a recent story I found. It appears they are trying to legalize the full line of consumer fireworks in Virginia. Who do you think would oppose such a thing. Surely not someone in the fireworks business. This is at least the second time I found TNT Fireworks sending lobbyist to interfere with new fireworks laws. Read this and tell me your impression.
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RICHMOND — A bill allowing the sale of big-bang fireworks in Virginia ran into heated opposition in a House of Delegates subcommittee Tuesday, after having passed smoothly through the state Senate.

The bill had attracted some influential opponents, apparently including big-box stores, in the past month, although only one competitor stepped up to speak against it Tuesday in a General Laws subcommittee.

The panel adopted an amended version of Senate Bill 343 that its sponsor, Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Louisa County, had not seen prior to the meeting.

Garrett, who represents part of Lynchburg, chose not to oppose the change, but he didn’t support it either.

The bill remains alive, Garrett said, but the coalition of support he had from fire chiefs and fire marshals may turn into opposition. The amendment strips out safety-enforcement ability Garrett’s version would have given to state-level fire marshals.

“Do you think the fix was in?” Garrett asked afterward, noting the new version of his bill already was printed and ready to hand out to House subcommittee members.

The bill now faces further review in the full General Laws committee, as well as on the House floor. If it passes there, it would go back to the Senate in what would become a long and rigorous legislative process.

The subcommittee’s chairman, Del. Chris Peace, R-Hanover County, asked opponents of Garrett’s original bill to step forward, but the only comment came from a lobbyist representing a producer of small-scale fireworks for resale by charitable groups such as the Boy Scouts.

“There was a whole lot of activity earlier today and the day before on this legislation,” Peace said. “So I’m somewhat taken aback by others not stepping forward,” he said.

Garrett called on opponents by name during his remarks to the subcommittee.

“It came to my attention today that Wal-Mart was opposed to this bill,” he said, going on to name other behind-the-scene opponents, including Target, Food Lion and other big-box stores, all of which sell sparklers and other non-exploding fireworks.

Nearly all of those stores rely on wholesaler TNT, which Garrett described as a monopoly supplier of what some in the meeting called “safe and sane” fireworks.

TNT Fireworks essentially has the lion’s share of the Virginia fireworks market, Garrett said.

“TNT Fireworks’ business model is to work through big-box retailers,” Garrett said, listing Wal-Mart, Food Lion, Target and Costco.

Garrett said his bill would create mom-and-pop businesses, especially in economically distressed parts of Virginia.

The result could be 800 to 1,000 full-time, year-round, jobs plus nearly 10,000 summer jobs for teen-agers, he said.

He said revenue from safety inspections by fire chiefs and fire marshals could amount to $250,000, with sales taxes capturing revenue many Virginians now dispense to the roughly 20 states that allow sale of what, in the trade, is known as 1.4G fireworks — the kind that fly and explode.
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As you read this you see TNT Fireworks likes keeping this state a "Safe and Sane" state. If Virginia goes full line legal that would be too much competition for them. I keep telling people the real enemy of fireworks is not some imaginary group of fireworks haters. The enemy of fireworks is actually people in the fireworks business and a small group of users of fireworks.
http://www.myonlinemaps.com/images/virginia-map.gif
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If you search political donations and fireworks you find all sort of interesting data. Here is one for TNT Fireworks not the political donations in the corresponding Safe and Sane states.
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http://www.followthemoney.org/database/topcontributor.phtml?u=18765&y=0
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To be fair TNT contributions are average amongst the major fireworks distributors and display companies.

N3OQO
02-20-2014, 10:16 AM
A very good reason NOT to buy their products. I hope it blows up in their faces.

jknepp1954
02-20-2014, 10:31 AM
yEAH - I READ THAT A COUPLE DAYS AGO SOMEWHERE ELSE...
I really don't understand there reasoning behind this. They usually lobby FOR legals sales... oh well - we shall how this pans out.

PGH_Pyro
02-20-2014, 02:11 PM
TNT is junk pyro, in my experience . I see the fountains and ground blooms for sale here at Target & Kuhns grocery stores, amongst other retails places like these .

jknepp1954
02-20-2014, 10:37 PM
TNT does have a "Few" good items - but just a few...We have carried for about the past 8 years the same 4 TNT fountains - customers of ours loves 'em!

displayfireworks1
02-26-2014, 09:44 AM
Thanks to TNT Fireworks and Walmart the Virginia fireworks bill is a bust.

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RICHMOND — Barely a spark remained in a fireworks bill after a House of Delegates subcommittee failed to muster a vote on it Tuesday.

Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Louisa County, asked the House General Laws subcommittee to pass a version of his SB 343 that was rewritten in the subcommittee last week.




The bill would allow Virginia residents to sell and use fireworks that fly and explode, like those available in South Carolina, Tennessee and about 18 other states. It’s an $80 million business in South Carolina, Garrett said.

But silence prevailed in the subcommittee as nobody testified for or against the bill, no legislators debated it and no one asked for its approval.

Garrett said his bill would create up to 1,000 jobs and reminded the panel three fireworks dealers told its members last week they were scouting locations in Virginia.

The bill’s real opponents are Wal-Mart and other big-box stores that sell sparklers and other nonexploding fireworks, Garrett said.

After the meeting, Garrett said: “I don’t know how you run for office and go home and say, ‘I voted against this,’ particularly if you are a Republican who represents a rural or nonurban part of the state.”

None of the five subcommittee members voted.

One member suggested the bill be carried over to next year so its supporters and opponents could work together, but the motion died for lack of a second.

When Del. Chris Peace, the subcommittee chairman, asked for an up-or-down motion on the bill, the committee members sat silent.

“I don’t think the committee is of a mind to act on the bill today,” Peace told Garrett. “Should the measure get further attention, we still have time in the session to consider it.”

Garrett responded: “I thank you, Mr. Chairman, and the state of South Carolina thanks you.”

After the meeting, Garrett said the bill’s only apparent chance this year would depend on Gov. Terry McAuliffe deciding to support it.

displayfireworks1
02-26-2014, 10:01 AM
I was trying to review my research on this Virginia issue and thought I saw where TNT Fireworks used Revell Communication to help on this. I can not seem to find it now. If you are unfamiliar with some of this here is a video of Revell Communications in action in California in an effort to keep consumer fireworks out of the area. Apparently TNT Fireworks does a big "Safe and Sane" "Charity" business in that state.
On the video slide to the Slide to the 14:00 minute mark, you will see Revell Communication in action. I like how the Mayor introduces him like he does not know who he is and treats him like a regular concerned citizen. LOL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzAT0pur_J8
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Who does Revell Represent?
http://www.odwyerpr.com/pr_firms_database/logos/revell_comms.gif
Revell Communications
One Capitol Mall, #210, Sacramento, CA 95814
916/443-3816; fax: 916/443-5065
DCR@revellcommunications.com
www.revellcommunications.com
Full service PR/PA specializing in legislative, corp. and assn. PR & gov�t rels.
Employees: 6. Founded: 1984.

Agency Statement: Revell Communications' proven performance places it among not only Sacramento's, but California's leading public relations/public affairs firms. Revell Communications has successfully designed and implemented public relations/public affairs efforts on behalf of such clients as the Council of State Chambers of Commerce; the California Business Council; the California Chamber of Commerce; IBM; the California Manufacturers Association; the National Football League; the Los Angeles RAMS; MetPath, Inc.; the American Chamber of Commerce (U.K.); the California Optometric Association; Hyatt Regency, Sacramento; American West Marketing, Inc.; American Promotional Events, Inc.; The Office of the California State Fire Marshal, and VivaHealth Plan.

Dennis C. Revell, pres. & CEO

2300 M St., N.W., #800, Washington, DC 20037-1434
202/785-8240
Nito Goolan, acct. mgr.

American Promotional Events
El Capital Group
Freedom Fireworks
Greater Sacramento Area Fireworks Safety Task Force (GSAFSTF)
MCM Construction, Inc.
Pyro Spectaculars, Inc.
Red Devil Fireworks
Sacramento Independent Taxi Owners Assn., Inc. (S.I.T.O.A.)
Stanislaus County Fireworks Safety Task Force
TNT Fireworks
United States Fireworks Safety Commission

jknepp1954
02-26-2014, 09:42 PM
Just an FYI - American Promotional Events is the head corporate company for....
TNT and Red Devil.
Also Walmart exclusively uses TNT as its vendor in their stores....
Not sure how the rest figures into the mix....

AZ Pyro
04-22-2014, 12:07 AM
TNT is doing the same thing here in Arizona, they wrote the bill was signed into law in 2010, but it had loopholes so several vendors around the state including Phantom were selling cakes and firecrackers and now tnt is changing the law. The reason they are changin it here is because Frys (Kroger), Target, Kmart, Walmart, Safeway etc will not let them sell those items in their stores so that is probably why they oppose full line in VA. Could be wrong but that is my guess.