Comments

1
cut in half is good
2
To quote afta: "Support for the nonprofit arts in the United States is a mosaic of funding sources—an ever-changing mix of earned revenue, government support, and private-sector contributions. Nonprofit arts organizations are generally able to earn only half of the money it takes to sustain their operation. The other half must be raised through contributions and grants. Even small fluctuations in contributed revenue can mean deficits for many organizations. Why the high costs? One reason is that the arts are a labor-intensive industry, one that employs people locally." There are tens of thousands of individuals that are employed in the arts in King County and tens of thousands more that are employed because the arts are so vibrant in this area (arts patrons are far more likely to stay in hotels, go to fine restaurants, and spend more money in local shops). If want to see this areas economy become Michigan's economy then, well you get the picture... Writing my legislator now Jen.
3
All staff is taking eight furlough days this year, a 1% COLA increase (instead of 2.5%), no merit pay.

Awwww. We have to take pay cuts to help out. Sorry, not pay cuts, but smaller pay increases. I took 6 furlough days since September. And, I don't get COLAs. And, I've watched the company I work for (a small company) shrink in size by firing a lot of people. So, welcome to the recession.
4
This has nothing to do with the recession, per se--it has to do with whether or not they're going to continue receiving the same funding they always have. The organization has done a pretty good job managing its finances, but the question is whether they're going to continue being funded through the lodging tax, or whether they're going to have to shift in 2012 to living on their endowment interest, which would slash their outlays to the community by 80% or so. Get the facts straight.

Passing these bills in the legislature keeps funding generated by the tax in King County, supporting arts and culture (through 4Culture), as well as youth sports, open spaces initiatives, and, probably, Husky Stadium funding. This has nothing to do with the current budget, so the money won't help the state's bottom line in the current crisis. This is about being ever so slightly forward thinking, which is apparently too much to ask most legislators. In the end, they all pretty much support the idea--what legislator doesn't want to secure part of taxes collected in their district FOR their district?--but it's been a low priority. But waiting until the 2011 session to pass the bills has a consequence: 4Culture can't assume that the funding after 2012 will come through, so they're not going to spend their rainy day money to keep 2011 outlays around the same level as 2010 or 2009.
5
:(
6
@1 and @3: Ooooh, straight talk from gritty, tough-minded realists. How novel.
7
@4 Are you saying that the taxes from the lodging will be eliminated, and lodging taxes will go down? Or, are you saying that the lodging taxes will stay the same, and THAT the funding will go into the normal budget, which is currently in a deficit in most places?
8
6 Desitin might help that ButtSore
9
@8: A diet might help you lose some of that unsightly weight.
10
@7 - The tax will continue to be collected after 2012; it's a state tax. All that changes is that the county no longer gets the money, it goes into the general pool. However, because that's not for two years, it has no impact on the current budget; if it did, legislators might have more cause for wanting the credit to expire.
11
@10:

That's true so far as it goes, but 4Culture has to start budgeting NOW for the 2011-2012 funding cycle, which means they have to anticipate how much they think they're going to be getting from the hotel tax. Without some assurance from the legislature that the tax will continue to be allocated to county arts funding, it's prudent on their part to assume for the moment the money won't be forthcoming.

Better to make the cuts now, and be pleasantly surprised if the funding is restored, rather than hope it will be restored and be unpleasantly surprised if it isn't.
12
Testified twice in Olympia to help 4culture, which has been sustaining me for my music through the Touring Arts Roster. Everyone who is an artist or knows an artist should ACT NOW to save 4culture. Contact the lawmakers. NOW.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.