Author: U.S. Conference of Mayors, Committee on the Arts

Publication Year: 1977

Media Type: Report

Summary:

The passage of Proposition 13 in California has signalled what seems to be the start of a national movement which has been characterized as the taxpayers' revolt. This year a number of states are facing the prospect of referenda and legislation which may have effects similar to those of Proposition 13. Pressures resulting from this evolving movement, coupled with the increasing rate of inflation, will require many Mayors to make difficult budget decisions in the months to come.

Abstract:

The passage of Proposition 13 in California has signalled what seems to be the start of a national movement which has been characterized as the taxpayers' revolt. This year a number of states are facing the prospect of referenda and legislation which may have effects similar to those of Proposition 13. Pressures resulting from this evolving movement, coupled with the increasing rate of inflation, will require many Mayors to make difficult budget decisions in the months to come.

All too often, in times of budgetary constraints, appropriations for the Arts seem an unnecessary frill. As Chair of the Committee on the Arts of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, I have directed the staff to prepare the enclosed issue paper on the Taxpayers revolt and the arts to document considerations which suggest that cuts in the Arts may be damaging to other areas of municipal activity. We believe that money for the Arts, rather than representing an unnecessary, easily cut expenditure, represents instead an investment which generates further revenues for the cities upon which future city vitality depends.

As a Mayor of a major urban center, I have strongly endorsed the use of the Arts as a significant tool for the restoration and revitalization of the central city. The Arts encompass many things which are of special interest to the cities:

• The Arts enhance the quality of life.
• The Arts expand personal horizons.
• The Arts are uniquely urban based.
• The Arts constitute a labor intensive industry and provide a high return of dollars to cities from ancillary businesses which are stimulated by the presence of the Arts.

Today, many of America's great cities continue to face significant problems. Declining populations and weakening economic bases are two of the most severe problems confronting us. These conditions challenge local governments' governance and service delivery responsibilities. Strong efforts will be needed to combat effectively such decline in order to ensure the continued strength of the national asset which our great cities represent.

The U. S. Conference of Mayors believes that the Arts can and should play a major role in this revitalization effort. But this role of the Arts is not just a belief. In the City of Atlanta, my administration has made major commitments to the Arts over a period of years. We are experiencing the revitalizing force of the Arts throughout the city. We are convinced that appropriations for the Arts represent a blue chip investment for our city's future.

We hope that the facts set forth in the following paper stimulate a full consideration of the importance to your community of your support for the Arts. We hope that you will join us in the recognition that the Arts represent the very highest expression of the quality of urban life. The Arts are uniquely urban; they represent the vitality and, perhaps, the very identity of the city itself. The Arts show us who we are and where we are going, whether as a neighborhood, a city, or a nation. Taken in their totality, the Arts - ambience, design, enrichment, and opportunity for expression - are more than an isolated set of events or activities. The Arts are the essence of our civilization and our hope.

CONTENTS
The Arts - a new kind of currency to be spent in pursuit of a sound urban economy.
The Arts - a key to future city vitality and competitiveness.
The Arts - a uniquely urban industry.
The Arts - the happy face of City Hall.
The Arts - helping build hope and life...neighborhood by neighborhood.
Conclusion.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Funding