INC NEWS - Fwd: Re: Kvetching by Arts groups

[Ellen Dagenhart]

Passing on at Barry's request.
BTW, as I recall, there was a desire to not rock the boat for fear of 
antagonizing the PTB and losing all funding. As was said, Laura Gill 
was wonderful & really tried to support arts groups. Wish we had her back.

>Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 14:15:51 -0400
>From:  <bragin at nc.rr.com>
>To: Robert Aitchison <hafskip at mindspring.com>
>Subject: Re: Kvetching by Arts groups
>Cc: ellen Dagenhart <dagnhrt at mindspring.com>,
>         Sherry DeVries <sldevries at durhamarts.org>, mwshiflett at hotmail.com
>
>
>since i'm the one who first used the term kvetching, let me take 
>some of the heat off Mike.
>
>Here's my point. We've had two City Council elections (at least) 
>since the council "decided to open up the Pot to all non-city 
>agencies." Yet, this has not been an issue raised during the 
>election cycle. That's one very important place to have this discussion.
>
>"The result was what we were told in the winter--we would have two
>more years, less money each time, then nothing.  We were not at all
>satisfied, but what could we do?"
>
>I would have made a much bigger stink about this at that time, when 
>the process was still somewhat more flexible, than to have waited 
>until the budget was presented.
>
>"The result is an "arts vs. cops" mentality, or so I read from your
>posts.  This is not what should be happening. Arts are the other part
>of the equation."
>
>That may very well be true. In fact, i'll grant that it is. It does 
>not change the fact, however, that the budget that was presented did 
>not adequately fund either the arts programs or the pay increases 
>that our PD needs to hold onto qualified officers. And yet, that 
>budget was rejected by the mayor and council because it raised taxes 
>too much. The next iteration will have less money to spend in it, 
>and yet more funds will be needed for raises for the  PD and other 
>staff. Maybe that won't come out of art funds. But it'll have to 
>come from somewhere. So in a very real sense it is "arts vs. cops." 
>Or "arts vs. whatever." And we've only got a couple of weeks to do 
>all of the analyzing and horse trading necessary to develop the 
>budget. The result will be, as it so often is in Durham, that 
>whoever makes the biggest stink will get the most.
>
>The whole budget process this year has been, as far as i'm 
>concerned, one of the sorriest spectacles i've seen in the 15 years 
>i've lived in Durham. I think it's time we moved beyond the 
>"management by crisis" mentality that seems to infect every aspect 
>of decision making in this town, develop our long range goals and 
>strategies to implement, and go there. Instead of this ridiculous 
>and endlessly repeating cycle of skirmishes that we go throw to get 
>*anything* accomplished here.
>
>Barry Ragin
>
>---- Robert Aitchison <hafskip at mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>=============
>Mike,
>
>I have read your complaint that arts organizations should not be
>kvetching about cuts.
>
>I wanted to step back in time to the late 90s, when the City, led by
>Mayor Sylvia Kerchoff, decided to fund arts organizations with a
>penny and a half of the tax dollar (the "penny pot") so we as a fine
>community would support arts.   This was not meant to be all the
>money the organizations would need to exist--far from it--but was to
>affirm the importance of arts to our community, our economy (!!) and
>our youth.  The application process was civilized and the city showed
>concrete support for something that makes life better for all Durham
>residents.
>
>All was well until, some time in the last several years, Council
>decided to open up the Pot to all non-city agencies and make it a
>"competitive" process.  There seemed to be no way to satisfy
>everyone, so last year Council decided to look at the whole process.
>The result was what we were told in the winter--we would have two
>more years, less money each time, then nothing.  We were not at all
>satisfied, but what could we do?  If it seems we are kvetching now,
>it is because we have to put up with what we see as a betrayal.
>
>The result is an "arts vs. cops" mentality, or so I read from your
>posts.  This is not what should be happening. Arts are the other part
>of the equation.  It should be Arts PLUS Cops = lower juvenile
>crime.  After I spoke on Monday, a policemen shook my hand!
>
>A civilized city, especially one that claims to be an arts community,
>should support the arts!  It's that simple.
>
>Anne Aitchison
>Twice President and flutist member (as a volunteer, I must add)
>The Durham Symphony

Ellen M. Dagenhart, ABR, e-Pro, GRI, SRES
MailTo:dagnhrt at mindspring.com
Marie Austin Realty, Durham, NC
1204 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705
http://www.marieaustin.com
Office  919-286-5611  FAX  919-286-2252  Cell 919-475-1719

[]


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