Thomas W. Galloway: Instead of a bike race, Modesto should provide fireworks

Re “Tour of California bike race to return to Modesto in 2017” (Page 1A, Nov. 3): I read in The Modesto Bee about the Amgen 2017 tour coming to Modesto. Modesto is going to spend $125,000 plus to have them come and ride two laps through town? We just spent $75,000 to feed and give them a place to sleep without Modesto getting anything for it! Modesto cannot even afford to have fireworks for all of the citizens to enjoy, but we can afford to pay for Amgen Bike Tour to make two laps through town?

I realize the bike race is something special ... but not everyone cares to go downtown and watch people on bikes speed by for two laps. The fireworks, which Modesto says it cannot afford, would let all of the citizens of Modesto have something to enjoy on the 4th of July. I think we should let the people of Modesto have a choice on how money is spent!

Editor’s note: The city of Modesto provided roughly $29,000 to house and feed Amgen riders last year; the original $75,000 was reduced by contributions from individuals and the race’s sponsoring organization.

This story was originally published November 3, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Thomas W. Galloway: Instead of a bike race, Modesto should provide fireworks."