Save the date: March 5, 2008 Arts Advocacy Day at the State Capitol.
Join CAA today!
Working for more funding for more art for more people.
stART NOW!
Together, we can do this.
AB 1365 (D-Karnette) requires that 20% of existing sales tax charged in two specific retail categories pertaining to arts, crafts and music be transferred to the California Arts Council.
What about that $14 billion deficit and the Governor declaring a fiscal emergency?
Read Steve Weigand's column, " A familiar ring to this state crisis" in the Sacramento Bee.
In January 2006, the California Department of Finance wrote Governor Schwarzenegger,
"When you took office you inherited over $22 billion in accumulated debt and an estimated structural budget deficit of $14 billion in 2004-05, which was anticipated to grow to $16.5 billion by 2006-07 unless steps were taken to reduce it." The legislature still passed historic funding for arts education ($105 million and $500 million for arts/music/PE equipment) funding for FY 2006-07 and $109 million for FY 2007-08.
Governor Pete Wilson was challenged by the largest deficit in California history, $14.3 billion
in 1991. With this looming deficit, the California Arts Council's budget was $13.4 million and gradually increased to $19.9 million the year he left office in 1998.
This deficit should not discourage us from our resolve to get AB 1365 passed, providing more funding for more art for more people!
What about lawmakers who say they are making difficult decisions about funding or cutting
life-sustaining programs?
Educate elected officials about arts organizations throughout the state, that have programs
that serve children, seniors, veterans, people with autism, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The nonprofit arts sector provides programs for homeless children, victims of domestic violence, youth-at-risk, gang prevention and intervention, incarcerated juveniles and adults and prison re-entry programs.
AB 1365 will help arts organizations to serve more people in California.
What about lawmakers who say that the state cannot afford to support the arts?
Inform your elected officials that the nonprofit arts sector generates $5.4 billion in economic activity in California, supporting 160,000 jobs. The arts bring more than $300 million to state and local tax coffers. Americans for the Arts reports that nationally, the arts and culture industry achieves $166.2 billion in economic activity every year, supporting 5.7 million jobs and generating $29.6 billion in government revenue.
AB 1365 is a great investment that will produce an even greater return to California.
Did you write your letter supporting AB 1365? The list of organizations and individuals sending Assembly Member Karnette letters of support is growing. Together, we can do this!
Click here for a generic sample letter (word document) that you and your colleagues can use to copy and paste, and save on your desk top for future communications with your elected officials at all levels of government. For more information and resources go to http://www.californiaartsadvocates.org/
The Honorable Betty Karnette
Member of the California State Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for AB 1365 Sales and use tax revenues: funding of the California Arts Council.
LOCATION: Assembly Appropriations Committee
Karnette Capitol Office FAX #: (916) 319-2154
CC: Ms. Dana Mitchell, Consultant for the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet 
Media Committee Fax # (916) 319-3451
Media Committee Fax # (916) 319-3451 California Arts Advocates Fax # (916) 979-1116
Examples of letters in support of AB 1365 can be found on the resource page of the California Arts Advocates website.
AB 1365 must pass out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee in January 2008 and go to the Assembly floor for a full vote of the State Assembly by January 31. The bill needs a 2/3s vote of the State Assembly to go to the next step, the state Senate. If this bill does not get to the Senate, it will die.
Take the first step to keep this bill alive! Ask colleagues, board members of arts organizations, chambers of commerce, vendors and neighborhood councils to register their support for
AB 1365. Together, we can do this!
Legislative Update
December 17, 2007
