Letter to the Editor

Your View 1/24: Keep arts alive

Friday, January 24, 2003

In the process of cutting $1 billion from the state budget for FY2004, Governor Bob Holden recommended zero dollars from General Revenue for the Missouri Arts Council. His recommendation is to raid the Cultural Trust and use those funds for operating MAC in 2004.

Statutorily, the Missouri legislature has to approve any spending authority prior to any money being spent from the Missouri Cultural Trust Fund. This sets an extremely bad precedent…. especially since the general assembly has not been fully funding the Trust Fund as required by state statute.

A line item of $953,000 was recommended for the amount of Federal Funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, but without general revenue funding for MAC, those won't be available either.

This is the first step in a long budgetary process. The budget will now go to the House Appropriations Committee, whose committee members will be meeting soon.

Your call to action is needed immediately……

Contact your state representative and senator at home over the weekend.

Go to www.senate.state.mo.us, scroll down under Legislative Information, and click on "Who is my Senator and Representative?", and type in your zip code to receive your legislator's information.

Please to support the current $3.9 million of general revenue support for MAC's programs.

SMARTS uses MAC grant money to generate more economic benefits for our community.

The message is simple: Do not eliminate the Missouri Arts Council!

Sikeston Missouri Arts inc. is asking old and new board members and current and past patrons to please participate.

Currently SMARTS is hoping to bring to Sikeston: A theatrical performance by Frank R. Reed Brown this Friday, Jan. 25, showcasing the life of Vincent van Gogh at the Albritton Theater. Then completing the mural downtown Sikeston by Willow Springs artist Michael McClure. In March SMARTS is bring the Saint Louis Brass Quintet

Every community is a better place to live when the arts are alive and vibrant.

We need your support to help influence our legislatures.

SMARTS Administrator,

Terri Matthews