Recent developments in Harrisburg have once again put Arts & Culture on the chopping block, and we need your help if we’re to save the state’s grant funding program.
As you know, despite growing tax revenues, the Commonwealth still has a budget shortfall. Over the past six months, the Cultural Alliance has been working hard to protect the remaining arts and cultural funding in the budget and to ensure that attempts to make up the shortfall do not hit culture disproportionately. On March 8th that effort paid off when Governor Corbett announced a budget that, despite some tough cuts, maintained level funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
But, then we were thrown a curveball. On the evening of May 24th, the Pennsylvania House of Representative passed budget bill HB 1485 by a vote of 109-92. Instead of level funding the grant program at $8.2 million their version called for a 70% reduction. This bring PCA funding down to $2.5 million. If enacted, these drastic cuts will have devastating consequences and will result in more job losses, less access to arts and cultural programming for Pennsylvania residents, and the elimination of crucial educational and community programs. We understand that the House was trying to find additional money for education, but given the arts’ integral role in education, it just doesn’t make sense to cut arts funding at the same time. That’s like robbing Peter to pay Peter.
What will happen next is that the State Senate will have their say say in the budget process. We anticipate the Senate to amend the current budget bill and have a final vote sometime during the week of June 13th.
That is why it is imperative that you act now. Our legislators in Harrisburg tell us that what matters most right now is that they hear directly from their constituents, which means you, your audiences and supporters. This is our chance to come together as a community and let them know that Arts & Culture is a valued investment in our region and in our children.
So here is what we need you to do right now:
Step 1. Call your State Senator and tell them that you want level funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. This is the most critical step! Click here for a list of district office phone numbers.
Step 2. (after completing step 1) Send a letter to your State Senator telling them that you support Arts and Culture. Click here for an easy form and a sample letter.
Step 3. (after completing step 2) Post a call to action to your followers on Facebook and Twitter, or any other social networking sites where your followers are gathering online. Here are a few sample messages to get you started.
Facebook: The PA House wants to slash funding for arts grants by 70%. During a recession, this is bad for Pennsylvania’s economy and bad for families. Cultural sector supports 62K jobs, adds $2 billion into our economy, generates $283 million in tax revenues and helps educate our kids. Tell your your Senator to support the PCA today. Link to http://tinyurl.com/5rv6wmb
Twitter: PA House to slash arts by 70%. Tell the Senate that this is bad for economy and hurts PA families: http://tinyurl.com/5rv6wmb
Every call, every letter and every tweet or post makes a difference. Remember the arts tax fight from two years ago? We came together then as a community and won, and we need to do it again. Thank you for all your help. Your hard work is crucial now more than ever.
Sincerely,
Tom Kaiden
President
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
