Recently in Community Category
This was originally posted in the Community Blog:
Original Post By Stone
As a board member of the Baton Rouge Gallery center for contemporary arts (www.batonrougegallery.org), I was dismayed to learn at our monthly board meeting that Gov. Jindal has stated he will veto the Legislature's reinstatement of DAF and SAG art grant funds to the state budget. It is expected that the Legislature will override the veto, but because of time constraints, this may have to wait until a special session is called. The Gallery and many other cultural and arts programs depend heavily on grant funds just to operate.
During this year's session, the Legislature has confirmed its commitment to making Culture, Recreation and Tourism programs and services available to its member organizations. The House and Senate, through legislation, added funding for the following programs: $3,267,566, Decentralized and Statewide Arts Grants; $2,000,000, Tourism Marketing Funds; $2,200,000, State Aid to Public Libraries; $2,278,266, State Historic Sites; $675,000, World Cultural Economic Forum; $455,000, Main Street Program; $391,734, Retirement Development Commission; Total: $11,267,566.
The Governor stated on Monday, however, that he will veto the sources from which these funds would come. This action places the Office of Lieutenant Governor's CRT budget back to the original cuts the Governor proposed in his executive budget. Those original cuts reduce the state tourism marketing funds by $4.8 million, thus impacting Louisiana's ability to advertise as a premier tourist destination and impacting businesses of all sizes in the hospitality industry, which will suffer from fewer visitors. In turn, fewer visitors means decreased tax dollars in the state's general fund. The original cuts also will force all 16 state historic sites to close to the public all but two days a week. Additionally, three new state parks scheduled to open would remain closed. According the OLG-CRT, an original investment of $34 million to build these parks would become a loss to the state. The original cuts also will result in an 85 percent cut to Decentralized Arts Funding and cause reductions in library services throughout the state.
The executive budget impairs the OLG-CRT's ability to market Louisiana, threatens educational programs offered at state historic sites, and reduces the effectiveness of other programs. The loss of this $11.2 million represents the loss of important programs and services that provide significant benefits, and enhanced quality of life, and a high return on investment for Louisiana. Please contact your legislators and voice your support of overriding Gov. Jindal's veto of this important source of funding for so many arts and cultural programs that enrich our lives.
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Note: Community Blog posts are the opinion of the post author.
Original Post By Stone
As a board member of the Baton Rouge Gallery center for contemporary arts (www.batonrougegallery.org), I was dismayed to learn at our monthly board meeting that Gov. Jindal has stated he will veto the Legislature's reinstatement of DAF and SAG art grant funds to the state budget. It is expected that the Legislature will override the veto, but because of time constraints, this may have to wait until a special session is called. The Gallery and many other cultural and arts programs depend heavily on grant funds just to operate.
During this year's session, the Legislature has confirmed its commitment to making Culture, Recreation and Tourism programs and services available to its member organizations. The House and Senate, through legislation, added funding for the following programs: $3,267,566, Decentralized and Statewide Arts Grants; $2,000,000, Tourism Marketing Funds; $2,200,000, State Aid to Public Libraries; $2,278,266, State Historic Sites; $675,000, World Cultural Economic Forum; $455,000, Main Street Program; $391,734, Retirement Development Commission; Total: $11,267,566.
The Governor stated on Monday, however, that he will veto the sources from which these funds would come. This action places the Office of Lieutenant Governor's CRT budget back to the original cuts the Governor proposed in his executive budget. Those original cuts reduce the state tourism marketing funds by $4.8 million, thus impacting Louisiana's ability to advertise as a premier tourist destination and impacting businesses of all sizes in the hospitality industry, which will suffer from fewer visitors. In turn, fewer visitors means decreased tax dollars in the state's general fund. The original cuts also will force all 16 state historic sites to close to the public all but two days a week. Additionally, three new state parks scheduled to open would remain closed. According the OLG-CRT, an original investment of $34 million to build these parks would become a loss to the state. The original cuts also will result in an 85 percent cut to Decentralized Arts Funding and cause reductions in library services throughout the state.
The executive budget impairs the OLG-CRT's ability to market Louisiana, threatens educational programs offered at state historic sites, and reduces the effectiveness of other programs. The loss of this $11.2 million represents the loss of important programs and services that provide significant benefits, and enhanced quality of life, and a high return on investment for Louisiana. Please contact your legislators and voice your support of overriding Gov. Jindal's veto of this important source of funding for so many arts and cultural programs that enrich our lives.
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Note: Community Blog posts are the opinion of the post author.
decisions, decisionsBy Mr. Greenjeans
A nice reminder that despite 95-degree weather, summer here can be quite pleasant.
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Our new Red Stick Live community blog allows anyone (seriously, anyone at all) to register and post on Red Stick Live. Post a photo, link, YouTube video, audio file, story or opinion. Even promote your own blog or website. Your post will automatically appear on the sidebar of the main page, and the best and most popular posts will be featured on the main section of the front page.