Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-02-17 17:08
I find this fascinating. One industry has received 17 billion dollars, that's with a B. That equates to 17000 millions dollars to help save at least a million jobs. I support this entirely; I believe it’s needed, both the jobs and the industry, no problem. Tom P told us that one orchestra received 50% of their expenses from the government yet the entire NEA budget is only 50 millions dollars for all the arts in the USA, that’s all the arts combined and some want to cut that. Start up organizations, museums, music, art theatre etc. Already we know that the Conn. Opera has closed down, the Baltimore Opera and chamber orchestra has closed down, The BSO has layed off staff as I’m sure many other orchestra and art originations are doing. Those people are just as unemployed as anyone else, no job is no job. I know at least one major orchestra has cut salaries by 11% and many more will follow and close down. 17 Billion to save a million jobs, good, how about a few millions to save a few thousand jobs that also help serve the public.
Yes, we get federal gov’t money in the BSO. Once in while we get a small grant to do education or outreach concerts, never just money to balance our budget. We do get less then 5% of our budget from the state and local gov’t, also with strings attached often, and that’s OK, we need to do educational concerts. And the state of MD just cut that grant by 2/3 adding to an already growing deficit because donations are down for obvious reasons. You know, a job is a job is a job. A few billions here and there, why not a few millions here and there. As I said before, saving arts organizations from going under is like a person making a million dollars a year giving an organization a single dollar to help save a job. I’m not advocating the gov’t supporting the arts, only throwing a few crumbs to help save those jobs, as well as a service to their community in tough times like these. Just a few crumbs. It’s just as much being unemployed if you’re laid off from the opera company that went under, as you are if the auto industry is not selling cars. It’s still unemployed. This is my last word on the subject because I know I can't change peoples minds that believe in what they believe. At least the staff person on the unemployment line that lost their job because the opera company went under or they got laid off from an orchestra wasn't making very much of a salary anyway, in most cases. Heck, they don't deserve a government bail out, even in crumbs. ESP
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