City officials canceled the biker rally in 2006 because, ultimately, the price and risk were too high, as the general fund had been drained each year by extraordinary police costs.
After hiring a private promoter a year later to revive the rally and get taxpayers out of the risk business, they reversed course in 2008 and not only agreed to pick up some of the law enforcement costs after having them paid in full during the 2007 event, but they also jumped more into the business side than ever by agreeing to buy more than $350,000 in "official" T-shirts and other merchandise for sale at the event.
The larger question is appropriateness
While it will be more than two months after this year's rally when officials intend to release the merchandise figures at a Sept. 18 council meeting - and City Manager Clint Quilter has declined to offer a ballpark relating to a profit or loss - the bigger question, despite the result, is whether a government should get involved in a private business venture to begin with.
Although it was nice to see public officials and other city employees out volunteering their time in Hollister's booths, we believe it's a bad idea to risk taxpayer dollars on a private enterprise, no matter how lucrative the potential outcome looks.
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See a slide show of the Lights On Parade
