The JFC voted yesterday to cut Delaware’s investment in the arts by $550,000 (about 20%). The arts are big economic driver and every dollar of state supports leverages up to $9.00 of private support. But Governor Schwartzkopf has said “Fuck it. Those Estate tax cuts aren’t going to pay for themselves.”
I would expect RD 14 to have some appreciation of what the arts are and why they’re important. But then, I don’t expect Schwartzkopf to have any appreciation of what the arts are or why they’re important.
Wonder how many of those $550,000 go to Rehoboth Beach.
Exactly what does cutting funding to the arts entail? Community theaters? Arts programs in schools?
I assume he means the Division of the Arts, which is under the Department of State. They award grants to various arts institutions, projects, and individual artists throughout the state. You can see the kinds of things they fund here: http://www.artsdel.org/grants/granthistory.shtml
FY17 $250,800 going to Pete’s district including $116,000 to the Rehoboth Art League.
You can see all the recipients here http://www.artsdel.org/grants/grantawards2017.pdf
Grand Opera House gets 253 K? Wow Seems like a lot when their top execs make 150K each. Tighten their belts a little, do some private fundraising and sell more tickets to good shows and better acts. If they could get crime down in Wilmington, maybe suburban folks would start coming back.
It will be interesting to see if these arts cuts are exacted across the board, or if certain institutions are favored–like the Rehoboth Arts League. And, no I’m in no way disparaging them, just raising the teensiest tiniest possibility that Pete will take care of his own at the expense of other organizations.
prison re entry programs eliminated
needle exchange drasticly cut
foster kid oversight slashed
DOE eliminated
The Guv and the crew signed a much promoted package of minor insurance addiction related reforms that do NOT address the vast majority of those on medicaid or self insured employer plans.
With all due respect I love the arts too, I really do, but they are the deck chairs. This other stuff and much more is the whole fucking boat!
For me, it isn’t Arts vs needle exchange.
It is Arts and needle exchange vs estate tax cuts. It is having a state that attempts to ensure some basic decency vs a red in tooth in claw Hobbesian wasteland.
Rehoboth Art league is the nicest art league anywhere. Makes me sick to see cuts like this when people swimming in wealth get more
http://delawarestatenews.net/news/schwartz-center-weighing-options-future/
Schwartz Center situation in Dover looks very grim…..seems like it is on life support.