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To Bruce Zoldan, it was like being slapped in the face and then getting punched in the gut.
Just about a mile from one of his largest Phantom Fireworks stores, Gov. Mike DeWine, with prompting from me, explained why he had vetoed a bill that overwhelmingly passed in the state Legislature legalizing consumer-grade fireworks.
DeWine was in our area last Friday. He first was in North Lima to sign a bill naming a bridge for former state Rep. Don Manning, who died in March 2020, and then headed to Cortland for a fundraiser for his re-election campaign next year. The Ohio Department of Transportation location in North Lima is near Phantom's large showroom.
Zoldan is president and CEO of Phantom, the nation's largest consumer fireworks retailer.
While talking to DeWine, I asked about what he was going to do with the fireworks bill. He said he had vetoed it a few minutes before my question.
"This bill does several different things," DeWine said. "One, it creates 25 separate holidays in the state of Ohio where fireworks can be set off 24 hours a day, any time of day they can be set off. In addition to that, it does not provide the safety that's needed where fireworks are actually sold."
DeWine said he was willing to consider a bill to legalize fireworks, "but this unfortunately is not the bill."
He said it would make Ohio one of the "most lenient in regards to fireworks."
When I spoke to Zoldan, he was livid.
Zoldan previously told me DeWine had "some hesitation" at signing the bill.
But knowing that didn't make him happy.
Zoldan said he spoke to DeWine a day before the veto, and the governor promised to call him before making a decision on the bill and that they would talk the next day. Zoldan said he tried to call DeWine on Friday, but didn't get a return call.
"He's cowardly by not finding a legitimate reason to veto the bill and not talking to me, who's been a supporter of his for 30 years," Zoldan said.
Zoldan said DeWine still hasn't called him.
"I have grown super skeptical of career politicians," Zoldan said. "On those very few occasions where I have approached elected officials I have known and supported for legitimate important issues and ask for help, they become petrified. For them, it's all about making decisions that they think will help them win their next election."
Regarding the veto, Zoldan said it "won't stop Ohioans for using fireworks, but now fire officials won't work with us to do fire safety public service announcements. He threw out safety programs."
Anyone who was around during the long July 4 weekend and the weekend before that knows that Ohioans use fireworks.
Many neighborhoods have extensive fireworks displays that rival professional shows.
It can be miserable if you've got a baby or pets or you want to sleep. Ohioans have used fireworks for many years even though they're illegal in the state.
State Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, who sponsored the bill to legalize consumer-grade fireworks on certain holidays, said legislators will discuss a possible veto override.
To do that, a three-fifths vote of members of the House and Senate is needed.
It appears enough votes exist to override.
It was approved 67-27 in the House and 24-8 in the Senate.
Will the Legislature decide fireworks are important enough for a veto override and will the votes be there?
There has been hesitancy from some legislators in the past who support a bill to then back a veto override. But there is room to spare. The override would need 60 votes in the House and 20 in the Senate.
DeWine doesn't veto much, and the Legislature has used the override only once in the two-and-a-half years he's been governor.
That one time was this past March when legislators chose to override DeWine's veto of a bill that weakened the governor's authority to issue states of emergency and health orders caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.