Editor, The Beacon:
The governor just line-item-vetoed the entire approved legislative budget for culture and arts funding. In a state budget that exceeds $1 billion, it was a very small amount, $32 million, less than $1.50 per resident. Applications included operating money to supplement local costs and capital money to augment local dollars for construction.
What is the message here? It’s pretty obvious that the governor does not esteem music, theater, small museums or any of the local programs that they sponsor. Of course he can take his kids anywhere they want to go to see concerts, plays, all kinds of art. It’s just that our local programs won’t be as well-funded. His kids will go to other states where people care enough to spend a little tax money on solid programs that feature truly interesting human work.
This time it was not the Legislature’s fault. Being elected in local elections, legislators were more open to requests for local level needs.
This veto was a sad example of why Florida has the reputation of being a Bubba state. As we say — duh.
P.S. $1.50 is the cost of an order of french fries.
Joan Carter
DeLand
Good on the Governor! So-called non-profits, that were once mostly funded through private donations, have come to rely on tax dollars far too much. Their boards have gotten lazy with the easy money flowing in. The free market should be allowed to work even for non-profits. If the public appreciates what is offered enough they will support it and if not it should be allowed to fade away. And unlike what our founding fathers wanted, at the County and City levels we have a very unfair taxing system where many of us older established folks are placing our burdens on the backs of our younger hard working folks who are struggling to make it. And many of us, who are paying next to no property taxes, have the nerve to go beg our County and City Councils to take even more from our struggling hard working younger folks we are already over burdening so what is taken can be given away to the cultural so-called non-profits of their choosing. And it should be noted, many of the cultural so-called non-profits grab our tax dollars from a variety of different sources.
Everyone should give as they wish and they should allow their neighbors to do the same based on their ability and desire to do so. It is NOT the government’s responsibility, nor should it be, to make our charitable giving decisions for us. And let us never forget, tax dollars are taken from us unfairly BY FORCE and with threat of the loss of our homes, the loss of our property, and even the possibility of the loss of our freedom.