Letters on arts funding, chamber mailings, freedom index
Saddened by loss of arts funding
The Arts Council is deeply saddened to learn that Kansas has again lost funding due to the state’s paltry arts spending (July 19 Eagle). The Arts Council doesn’t receive any of these funds, but we recognize the huge loss that arts organizations and communities will suffer because of inadequate funding.
When the state cut its arts funding to $250,000 less than what was needed to qualify for more than $400,000 in federal funding matching from the National Endowment for the Arts, it also disqualified the state from partnership with the Mid-America Arts Alliance, meaning another cut of almost $400,000. These cuts mean that arts organizations, museums and libraries can’t bring in exhibits that enrich the lives of citizens and educate children.
Federal dollars that hardworking Kansans pay in taxes end up in other states and support other programs instead of helping us. Fewer performances and exhibits mean Kansas communities will not see the same economic benefit from hotels and restaurants when people attend arts events.
The Arts Council encourages citizens who care about the health of our communities and state to research the candidates and vote for those who will protect our quality of life, our arts, our tax dollars and our state’s future.
Martha L. Linsner, Wichita
Interim president, Arts Council Inc.
Loss is good news
“Kansas saves federal government $400,000.” That could have been an Eagle headline. But it was packaged as bad news, not good news (“Kansas set to miss out on about $800,000 in arts funding,” July 19 Eagle).
If we whine over every lost penny of federal funding, and still expect our leaders to reduce the national debt, then we are hypocrites who are putting our leaders into an impossibly conflicted position. We want them to bring down the debt – but not at the cost of this. Or that. Or anything. So nothing gets cut. Year after year.
We are not against the arts. We have two grown children who are artists. They have side jobs.
One local arts executive faulted the state’s budget priorities: “We’re short because of the Legislature’s decision to cut income taxes to zero for LLCs.” Good for them.
But this letter is not about them, it’s about us. We need to change our perspective.
Instead of criticizing the Legislature, let’s challenge the companies who have benefited to be good neighbors and put some of this savings back into their communities by supporting the arts and other worthy causes.
David and Laura Aronstein, Rose Hill
Chamber mailers
Flush with the money they didn’t have to pay in Kansas taxes and didn’t use to hire more workers, Kansas business owners instead seem to be giving their money to Kansas Chamber of Commerce-backed political action committees so they can mail political propaganda that makes questionable claims about the less-conservative candidates running for state and local offices (July 28 Eagle).
I guess they want to continue to have the rest of us support them with the taxes we pay.
Roy Beckemeyer, Wichita
Freedom index
Every Kansan concerned about student-focused education, economic freedom and the constitutional principles of individual liberty should study the 2016 Kansas Freedom Index published by the Kansas Policy Institute. Most legislators say they believe in efficient government and personal liberty, but they often vote for higher taxes, more regulation and unnecessary spending. The Kansas Freedom Index shows how every legislator voted on these important issues over the past five years.
It is the product of nonpartisan analysis and research and is not intended to directly or indirectly endorse or oppose any candidate for public office. And that’s as it should be. Citizens shouldn’t be told how to vote by media or special interests; we should each do our own research and come to our own decisions.
Freedom is not a partisan issue. In Kansas, Republicans represented at least 70 percent of all House and Senate members since 2012. That would produce fairly strong results one way or the other if freedom were a matter of party, but the overall score of both chambers is near neutral each year.
Get the index from the KPI website and see if your legislators vote for or against their stated beliefs.
David Jervis, Eastborough
Letters to the Editor
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This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 12:03 AM with the headline "Letters on arts funding, chamber mailings, freedom index."