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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
When that tornado siren sounds, I'm in the basement
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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- mr. stinky feet - Profile | Pictures | Blog
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Dear Governor Brownback:
You’re breaking my heart. And you’re potentially breaking my nearly-empty pocket book.
You might not care, but yesterday I performed two shows for kids (i.e.: future leaders) in Salina. Today I have two more. All are funded, in part, by the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC). In the past two years, I have criss-crossed this state performing in cities, towns, and small farming communities I never knew existed. I’m not claiming that my music is the pinnacle of cultural enrichment, but the arts commission brings artistic experiences to places that otherwise couldn’t afford them.
I don’t envy your task of balancing the Kansas state budget, but your executive order to eliminate the KAC is a personal affront to the existence of my family-owned small business and to my values. And it doesn’t make much sense.
I’ll get to the economic impact of your decision later. For, now let’s take a look at what you’re doing to the already flimsy national image of the Sunflower State.
(Let me say up front that I wasn’t too crazy about moving here seven years ago from across the Missouri state line. That was just ignorance on my part. Since then, I’ve grown to appreciate and actually like my adopted home state.)
So, Mr. Governor, I know we’re taught that we shouldn’t care about what other people think, but, if you haven’t noticed, we tend to be the butt of lot of jokes. I travel all over this great land and when I tell people I’m from Kansas, this is what I get (in no particular order):
“Oh, I just love the Wizard of Oz!”
“Do you get a lot of tornadoes there?”
“Do you have cows in your yard? How about wheat?”
“Is it true that schools teach that dinosaurs roamed the earth with humans?”
“Isn’t that where those funeral-picketing gay-bashers are from?”
(There usually is one glimmer of redemption: “You’ve got a pretty good basketball team.”)
Since many folks have the misperception that Kansas is a cultural dustbowl, let’s not give any reason to prove them right. Killing the arts commission is basically sending a message that the arts aren’t important. Mr. Governor, I beg to differ.
Art inspires people to dream and do great things. Art is part of our fabric and being as humans. Creativity literally courses through our veins begging to be released. Artistic expression is and has been an integral part – not just a nice-to-have option – but an absolutely indispensible element of every culture that has ever populated this planet.
So, maybe you just don’t like the arts. Fine, but you have said this decision is about cutting the budget and spending responsibly. I’m not buying it. I assume you’ve seen the numbers. First off, the nearly $600,000 KAC annual budget is about a hundredth of one percent (.0012) of the $500 million state deficit.
And without a state sanctioned arts commission to oversee allocation of funding, our state is in jeopardy of losing at least $778,300 in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) matching funds (that is if US Congress doesn’t kill the NEA) and $300,000 in grants and services from the Mid-America Arts Alliance.
I’m no economist, but if I know that by spending $600,000 I could attract more than a million dollars back into the state, I’m pretty sure I’d make the investment.
According to the Kansas Arts Commission, the agency helps to support “employment of over 37,000 people in the creative arts industry,” including me and two other employees of our small business. And they claim that the arts is “a $153.5 million industry…generating over $15 million in state and local government revenues.”
So, it’s clear that this budgetary decision is not about saving money. It’s about politics. It’s about appearing to be tough on making difficult cuts.
On Wednesday, State Rep. Peggy Mast (R-Emporia) said she couldn't vote to fund the commission while also cutting social services. Please tell Peggy that she doesn't have to! She can vote to fund a commission that stimulates the economy so we can, in turn, fund social services!
Also, how about cutting every agency’s budget (including KAC) equally? That way we all share in the burden of bailing out our boat.
Regards,
Mr. Stinky Feet
(Dear Readers: Please, if you live in Kansas, call your state reps and senators and ask them to spare the KAC. If you don’t live in Kansas, please call and heckle them.)
I don't live on the KS side anymore but I have been following this. I have been the brunt of many of the KS jokes and misconceptions and their government really isn't making it much better right now. I kind of kind of parallel it to what happened when our previous governor turned our Driver's Liscense Bureaus over to the private sector, which I thought was a bizarre move. I hope it turns out differently for you all.Very sad, indeed. The arts are important in education, as well. Kansas is doing their young people (the future of the state) a huge injustice by cutting out funding these programs.Why is it they always cut the arts? When local school boards need to make cuts -- they cut music programs or art programs. This is so fundamental to balancing our learning. How about that -- let's balance our learning along with the budget. Find somewhere else to make the cuts.I wouldn't despair just yet. Here is the press release from the governor's office more thoroughly explaining the transition from a public entity to a privately funded entity: "02.07.11 Governor announces the Kansas Arts Foundation by Sherriene Jones-Sontag | Feb 07, 2011 Topeka – Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed Executive Reorganization Order #39 to abolish the Kansas Arts Commission and transfer the state agency’s responsibilities to the Kansas Historical Society. The Governor then announced the formation of the Kansas Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) and introduced the foundation’s Board of Directors. “Our state faces a nearly $500 million budget shortfall and has nearly 100,000 Kansas who are unemployed. As we look to grow Kansas’ economy and focus state government resources to ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars, we must do all we can to protect the core functions of state government,” Gov. Brownback said. “As I said in my State-of-the-State speech, the days of ever-expanding government are over. This consolidation is a modest step toward making our economic development structure leaner, more efficient, more accountable, and more successful in growing the state.” The Governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012 allocates $200,000 through the Kansas Historical Society to assist in the transition from a state agency into a private organization. This will save the state’s general fund nearly $600,000 in FY2012. As a state agency, the historical society will be eligible to receive federal matching funds for the purpose of advancing the arts in the State of Kansas. “Change is never easy, but our plan allows for a steady transition period. This recommendation for the council to become a private, non-profit organization is similar to the transition made by the Kansas Humanities Council which still receives both state funding through the Kansas Historical Society and federal funding through the National Endowment for the Humanities,” Brownback said. The Kansas Arts Foundation’s Board of Directors are: · Bruce Breckenridge, Leawood · Paula Downing, Wichita · Kerry Livgren, Berryton · Virginia Crossland-Macha, Iola · Priscilla O’Shaughnessy, Wichita · Bob Swain, Topeka · Sue Schlapp, Wichita · Linda Browning Weis, Manhattan Lawrence attorney Chris Burger will serve as the foundation's legal counsel. “Under the leadership of its board of directors, I am confident that the Kansas Arts Foundation will flourish as a private entity and it will continue to promote the beauty that is Kansas and created by Kansans,” Brownback said. The order will take effect on July 1st, 2011 if the Kansas Legislature does not reject it. So, it looks like there will still be an opportunity for federal funding for the arts in Kansas. And, as so many people indicate that they believe there is a need for the arts, I imagine that the organization will find the private funds to support what people feel is important to them.Yes, maggie, I'm aware of the transition to a non-profit. But without the status as a state agency, Kansas is ineligible for federal matching grants, which require a state agency to administer the funds. The gov makes it sound like it's no big deal, but the de-commissioning of the KAC would put civic arts councils out of business. And it would make Kansas the first state to kill their arts commission. Another proud moment for Kansas!Did you read the whole statement? "The Governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012 allocates $200,000 through the Kansas Historical Society to assist in the transition from a state agency into a private organization. This will save the state’s general fund nearly $600,000 in FY2012. As a state agency, the historical society will be eligible to receive federal matching funds for the purpose of advancing the arts in the State of Kansas. " It sounds to me like the organization is simply being condensed into another organization in the hopes that combining it will save money.ok. maybe this is stupid logic and i'm not saying i've decided how i feel about this. but if KAC lost $1.6 mil and divided it equally among the 37k people they support, that's $43/yr you'll be losing - pretax. is that looking at it too broadly? on the flip side, $1.6 mil would then be re-allocated to who knows the heck where.Yes, I read that. But what I'm hearing from the KAC, is that's not how the NEA works. Here's a quote from a recent news story: "The NEA questioned whether there would be appropriate oversight of funds if the duties of the state arts agency were transferred to the State Historical Society and the funding was passed through to a separate nonprofit entity with different staff, separate bylaws and a separate board." If it's true, then great. And with the $200K pass through grant, the KAC's budget is only cut by 66%. My guess is that the re-incarnated council will no longer be handing out its annual "Governor's Awards" to a worthy artists. If he thinks that government should not fund the arts, then he should say just that, because I think that's what he believes. And I think he's seriously short-sighted.Ditto Jim!!!!! This is the letter I sent to my legislators yesterday. I understand that most budgets are being cut and that hard decisions have to be made. I REALLY get that. My husband and I are full-time, tax-paying, self-employed entertainers. Magicians to be exact. We recently moved out of the city and into a MUCH smaller community. Budget and priorities were #1 on my families list of reasons why we moved out of the city and into a smaller community. Cutting arts funding would render most of us "small-time" (as opposed to big-time) professional entertainers unemployed or at best, drastically reduce our ability to continue to carry our current business overhead. This will cripple our ability to offer the size and caliber of show we currently perform. This is the microcosm...the macro is that the quality of entertainment in the United States WILL be diminished. In the past few weeks we have heard people say that privatizing The Arts may be a good thing. Really? To those people I would ask: * Is privatizing Education on your agenda as well? One of the greatest things about our country is that ALL of our children have the right to a free education. Would you have our future generations suffer illiteracy and ignorance due to the extremely unbalanced nature of the distribution of wealth? * When people have to choose between affording medical treatment and paying their mortgages - Let me ask you how well has the private medical sector helped us? * Should we privatize all of the Highway Departments as well? Imagine for a moment how well the roads would be maintained in the less-affluent neighborhoods as opposed to other areas. My husband and I have begun making plans to reduce the size (and fees) of our Large touring show due to the foreseeable budget cuts. Because we are professional, talented, pro-active and out of necessity - flexible, I have complete faith that we will continue to thrive. However, I seriously question peoples lack of common sense when it comes to allowing the private sector to control public access to quality art and performance art entertainment. Maybe it's just me, but unless everyone in smaller, more rural communities is willing to allow football, basketball, community/church choirs and nightclub performers to be their only opportunities to experience live entertainment, I would ask that you beg your representatives to vote against H.R 1. All the best to you and yours! Kelly Vaughn (a.k.a. Super Bowl party throwing, church choir and former nightclub singer, mother of an 8th grade of a basketball stud-monkey, AND self-employed, small business owning full-time, professional family entertainer)Sigler. I hear what you're saying, but it doesn't work like that. The KAC offers grants to local civic councils that pool their own money from local donors to bring in arts groups. So, we'd be losing a lot more than $43, because there wouldn't be enough money to fund programs. And the $1.2 million wouldn't be granted from the feds and Midwest Arts Alliance, so that money can't be reallocated, because it is lost.Does someone have the link to the Star's article? I think it said that even though the KAC is being cut $600,000, it will lose $1 million plus in matching grants.That's a debatable point, Ub. As the author of this blog pointed out, no other state has done away with their arts' commission (yet); so it remains to be seen how the NEA will react. The Kansas Humanities Council still obtains federal funding, because it falls under the Kansas Historical Society, a state agency; this is what Brownback proposes will happen by placing the Arts Commission under the KHS. I looked at the KAC's annual report last year; just under 600,000 went to administration costs, so by defunding the KAC, basically the state is hoping to save money by combining management; it doesn't seem to me that they are trying to "kill" art, just be more responsible with tax payer funds. Why is that bad? Also, the head of the NEA has even alluded to the fact that there is a disproportionate number of "art mangagers" to actual artists. If you're really interested in the arts, here's an interesting read for you: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/10/AR2011021007122.html I think he makes some very interesting and worthwhile points to consider.And lest anyone walk away with the idea that Brownback was only "targeting" the arts, here is a list of other proposed cuts which I found listed in a Kansas newspaper: Some of the budget recommendations include: • Eliminating state funding of the Kansas Arts Commission. • Consolidating the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) into the Kansas Department of Commerce. • Merging the Kansas Health Policy Authority into the Division of Health of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. • Abolishing the Kansas Parole Board and transferring those duties to the Department of Corrections. • Merging the Animal Health Department, State Conservation Commission and Agriculture Marketing Program into the Department of Agriculture. • Moving the Travel and Tourism Program out of the Department of Commerce and into the Department of Wildlife and Parks. • Abolishing Kansas Inc., an economic development agency. • Shutting down the state hospital for developmentally disabled Kansans by 2014. The Kansas Neurological Institute is located in Topeka.And lest anyone walk away with the idea that Brownback was only "targeting" the arts, here is a list of other proposed cuts which I found listed in a Kansas newspaper: Some of the budget recommendations include: • Eliminating state funding of the Kansas Arts Commission. • Consolidating the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) into the Kansas Department of Commerce. • Merging the Kansas Health Policy Authority into the Division of Health of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. • Abolishing the Kansas Parole Board and transferring those duties to the Department of Corrections. • Merging the Animal Health Department, State Conservation Commission and Agriculture Marketing Program into the Department of Agriculture. • Moving the Travel and Tourism Program out of the Department of Commerce and into the Department of Wildlife and Parks. • Abolishing Kansas Inc., an economic development agency. • Shutting down the state hospital for developmentally disabled Kansans by 2014. The Kansas Neurological Institute is located in Topeka.I would think if any of those issues should warrant concern, it would be the funding for the developmentally disabled. But then again, perhaps those issues are already being covered by another entity. In the current economic conditions that our states face, I'm afraid people are going to have to start accepting the fact that there are luxuries and then there are necessities.Maggies: How about a proportional cut of every department's budget? And I would vehemently argue that a hospital for the developmentally disabled and the arts and education are necessities and not luxuries. Even our cave-dwelling ancestors valued art. And I would argue that tax incentives for a coal-burning power plant and subsidies to keep air-fares low for flights out of Wichita are not necessities. Cut every budget equally.
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