Citations for illegal fireworks in 2025 covered — for the first time ever — the additional costs Manteca incurs with increased public safety staffing during the Fourth of July holiday period.
Last year, 109 citations were issued for illegal fireworks with overall fees assessed coming in at $130,255.
That was up from 37 citations and $34,965 in fees during 2024. The 2023 citations numbered 30 with $28,350 in fees assessed.
Manteca last year incurred $76,934 in additional police staff costs.
That included 36 sworn personnel and the professional staff that incurred 349.25 hours of overtime.
The fire department overtime came to 112 hours with an overall cost of $8,451.
That covered an additional three-man engine company for 72 hours to cover time when calls increase substantially on and before the actual holiday. The overtime also included fire inspectors.
The breakdown is included in a presentation Fire Chief Steven Islas is making to the City Council when they meet Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Staff is recommending the city charge a fireworks booth application fee of $35 starting in 2027.
That is in addition to increasing the booth permit fees from $150 to $250 starting this year.
It is also being proposed that the city accept product donations from Phantom Fireworks to support the city-sponsored free aerial display contingent on city attorney review and compliance with all safety standards.
Staff is also recommending the city accept awareness and safety signage from TNT Fireworks.
Islas also noted the Manteca municipal code allows for no more than one sales permit per 5,000 residents.
Based on current population, that means the city could issue as many as 19 fireworks booths.
The city, though, for the past several years has kept the cap for non-profit fireworks booths at 14.
The City Council last year indicated they wanted to take a look at perhaps reducing the number of permits that are issued going forward in part to make the net from sales have more impact on various community groups in terms of the time and energy spent manning the booth and covering space rental and insurance.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
