Senate Subcommittee Retains $4 million for MCACA!!!
BREAKING NEWS from ARTSERVE MICHIGAN
Senate Subcommittee Retains $4 million for MCACA
Senate Subcommittee Retains $4 million for MCACA
Mike Latvis, Director of Public Policy at ArtServe Michigan , attended today's Senate Subcommittee on the Department of History, Arts and Libraries and provided the following update:
The subcommittee voted Senate Bill 247 out of committee, appropriating $3,892,000 for arts and cultural grant funding for fiscal year 2010. This is a $2 million increase from what Governor Granholm had recommended in her FY2010 Executive Budget Recommendations back in February.
The subcommittee voted Senate Bill 247 out of committee, appropriating $3,892,000 for arts and cultural grant funding for fiscal year 2010. This is a $2 million increase from what Governor Granholm had recommended in her FY2010 Executive Budget Recommendations back in February.
Here are the key things to know:
- The Senate HAL Subcommittee introduced Senate Bill 247 appropriating $3,892,000 for arts and cultural grant funding.
- The subcommittee retained the $300 non-refundable application fee.
- The Gov had requested an increase to $1,000 - ArtServe opposed this.
- MCACA staff administration was retained at 5 FTE's with a budget of $545,400
- The subcommittee changed the boiler plate to ensure that the MCACA is able to use this money for operational grants.
- Senator Cameron Brown introduced an amendment that included intent language to work with the administration to place MCACA somewhere besides MEDC.
This is a small victory for arts and culture in Michigan, and is no doubt due to your efforts in writing the Governor and your legislators. The HAL Subcommittee recommendation is the first step in the process as the budget will now go before the House HAL Subcommittee in the weeks to come. Trust that ArtServe will continue to work behind the scenes and with you all to ensure that arts and cultural grant funding is retained at $8 million for fiscal year 2010.
If you have not already sent the new email to the Governor and your legislators please help us continue to put pressure on our elected officials by taking 30 seconds to click the link below and send an email.
http://capwiz.com/artsusa/mi/issues/alert/?alertid=12875361&type=ML
As always, if you have any questions or comments please feel free email Mike Latvis at mike@artservemichigan.org or call him at 248-379-5897.
2 comments:
Please be aware that $1.5 million of this money was stripped from State Aid to Public Libraries. Rather than leave funding for libraries at the level recommended by the Governor, the Senate HAL Subcommittee voted to reduce library funding and instead give it to the arts community.
This comes at a time when libraries are seeing dramatic increases in usage. Let's tell both sides of the story, please.
Maureen Derenzy
Librarian and Arts Council member
The public library is an invaluable resource for Michigan communities, offering equal access of information to all members of the public, regardless of an individual's ability to pay. In addition to offering meeting space to community members, many libraries maintain important and irreplaceable collections of local historic value, preserving the stories of our communities themselves and even dedicate "gallery" space, showcasing the work of local artists.
Thanks for speaking up about this Maureen! We at ArtServe Michigan stand in solidarity with all of the incredible libraries of our state and look forward to the days when both public service sectors are able to establish dedicated revenue streams, directly supporting both. As long as state government support for Michigan's libraries and arts & cultural sector are divvied up from the general fund, both groups will always have to settle for the scraps that are left over after our state government leaders' budgetary "carving".
With the process as it currently stands, the most that either may possibly hope for is that general funds be shared and distributed appropriately, so as not to neglect state support for either of these sectors of public service, both so critical to the vibrancy and education of our communities here in Michigan.
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