Support AB 2728
Securing a stable revenue for the California Arts Council
People and organizations supporting the arts have another opportunity to gain increased funding for the arts in California. You can help make it happen this time! You must act fast and you may need to take action several times before it happens.
AB 2728 is in the Appropriations Committee and on the suspense file.
The "suspense file" is the method by which the committee prioritizes
bills totaling $150,000 or greater, and ultimately determines if they will
be passed and sent to the Floor, or remain with the committee indefinitely. On May 22, the Appropriations Committee will read off the bills that will go to the Assembly floor to
be voted on by May 27. Have you faxed your letter of support or emailed your legislator yet?
Ask legislators right now to commit today to invest in the arts when California can afford it. Click on the Take Action! button and you can email your legislator. It takes two minutes.
AB 2728 passed its first hurdle, the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee on April 8. Voting YES: Coto, de Leon, Karnette, Ma and Swanson. Voting NO:
Plescia, Runner and Strickland. The bill passed its 2nd committee hearing, Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committe on April 14. Voting YES: Calderon, Arambula, Eng, Feuer, Hayashi, and Ma. Voting NO: De Vore, Plescia and Spitzer. Assembly Member Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) announced at the hearing that she would like to be added as a co-author. The following week, Assembly Member Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) signed on as a co-author.
AB 2728 is now before the Assembly Appropriations Committee and has been placed on the suspense file. Last week CAA sent ACTION ALERTS to constituents of Assembly Speaker Núñez, Speaker-elect Bass, and members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. If your organization
is located or you reside in the district of one of the committee members, please fax or call him/her immediately to express your support for a commitment today for an investment in the arts when California can afford it. Appropriations FAX # is (916) 319-2181.
AB 2728 was introduced by Assembly Member Betty Karnette in February 2008. AB 2728, as amended is similar to last year's AB 1365, the transfer of 20% of the state's General Fund sales and use tax revenue levied on arts-related purchases.
AB 2728 as amended, does the same as AB 1365 had intended, however the funding becomes "operative only if the General Fund has achieved ongoing structural balance on or before July 1, 20015...achieved only if all economic recovery bonds are retired and the May Revision of the Governor's Budget shows revenues exceeding expenditures during both the prior and current years, excluding proceeds from borrowing." This trigger is important in order to gain support from lawmakers during California's fiscal crisis of a $14 billion deficit.
What does ongoing structural balance of the General Fund mean? Ongoing structural balance is achieved only if all economic recovery bonds (ERB) are retired and the May Revision of the Governor's Budget shows revenues exceeding expenditures during both the prior and current years, excluding proceeds from borrowing. The ERB Act (Proposition 57) was passed by the voters in March 2004, and Governor Schwarzenegger’s FY 2007-08 budget summary predicts that these bonds will be repaid ahead of schedule in 2009. Read more...
When this bill becomes operative, it could generate more than $30 million for the California Arts Council's budget. Essentially, more funding for more art for more people.
It is imperative that you and your organization support the passage of this bill. FAX Assembly Member Betty Karnette today (916) 319-2154. Click here for a sample letter to place on your desk top and copy and paste when needed.
If you are one of the more than 150 organizations and individuals who faxed letters supporting AB 1365 last year, please edit your letter to support AB 2728 and fax it again today to Assembly Member Betty Karnette at (916) 319-2154. FAX a copy to CAA at (916) 979-1116 to add your name to the list of supporting organizations and individuals on this web page.
stART NOW!
This year we can do this.
More funding for more art for more people!
Thank you to the following organizations who have registered their support support for AB 2728:
3KO Broadway Theatre Company, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) (2), Arts for LA, Artspan, Arts Providers Alliance of San Francisco, Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO), BATS Improv, B Street Theatre, California Alliance for Arts Education, California Arts Advocates, California Association of Museums, California Lutheran University Music Department, California Shakespeare Theater, Camp Santo Theatre, Chhandame School of Kathak, Chitresh Das Dance Company, Contemporary Dance of Los Angeles, CounterPulse (4), Critical Mass Performance Group, DancersGroup (2), Dell'Arte International (2) FlyAway Productions, The Fountain Theatre, Intersection for the Arts (2), LA Stage Alliance, LA Inc., Luna Kids Dance, Madera County Arts Council and Circle Gallery, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Music at Kohl Mansion, Musicians Union Local 6 American Federation of Musicians (AFM), The New Conservatory Theatre Center, Palos Verdes Peninsula Symphony, Professional Musicians of California, Quinn Associates, Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, San Diego Opera, San Diego Youth Symphony,San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Theatre Festival, Siskiyou Arts Council, The Stage, Santa Monica Performing Arts Center, Stagebridge, Theatre Bay Area (2), Theatre of Note, Theatre West (2), Ventura County Arts Council (8), Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council and the Honorable Tom Ammiano, member of the Board of Supervisors, City and County of San Francisco.
If your organization is not listed above, please fax a copy of the support letter(s) to:
California Arts Advocates (916) 979-1116.
This page was last updated: May 15, 2008
This page was last updated: May 15, 2008
California Arts Advocates ׀ P.O. Box 601902 ׀ Sacramento, CA 95860 ׀ T (916) 973-0807 ׀ F (916) 979-1116 ׀ Advocacy@CaliforniaArtsAdvocates.org
