DON’T PANIC, TAKE ACTION
Not to be alarmist, but….
The state is experiencing a $62 million shortfall in its first quarter. No projections on how large it will be by June 30, but bones are rattling.
Governor McCrory has already instructed departments to reduce their budgets by 2%, and not necessarily across the board. Some legislators believe that agencies should cut grants first.
When the next biennium budget process begins in January, 2015, the election will be a distant memory. If major changes in the state budget are considered, they generally happen in the long session to put as much space between catastrophic decisions and the next election.
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If you support public funding for the arts, you should be concerned enough to take action NOW, not after bad decisions are announced.
Talk to your candidates about public funding for the arts before November 4th. Know their position(s) and disseminate their responses.
Immediately after the election, congratulate the winners and let them know you look forward to being their arts resource.
If you have the means, donate to or volunteer for campaigns of candidates that support the arts.
Be aware of who supports your candidates. Are they arts inclined and might they help advocate?
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For lots more information, visit ArtsNC’s website at http://www.artsnc.org/.
(This announcement was issued as an email on 10/23/14.)
