URGENT: ACT NOW TO SAVE FUNDING FOR ARTS AND CULTURE IN SEMINOLE COUNTY Take action TODAY to help Save Seminole County funding for arts and culture. The current recommendation to the County Commission is ZERO FUNDING for the upcoming financial year. What does that mean? A possible loss of all budget appropriations for arts, cultural, and historical organizations in the county’s FY 2008-2009 budget. Your advocacy, your voice, needs to be heard – NOW. The case to support the arts in our county must prevail at the upcoming budget meetings. Please review the Talking Points below and begin emailing a/o calling the Commissioners and County Manager. Provide them with your feedback on the importance and value of the arts. You’ll find their contact information at the end of this message. Lastly, share this email with others – many others – ask them to join in our efforts to secure funding for arts, cultural and historical organizations and resources in Seminole County. Remember, the current recommendation to the County Commission is for ZERO FUNDING to United Arts in the 2008-2009 financial year. Please take immediate action by reaching out to the Seminole County Commissioners and the County Manager let them know how important it is to support the arts! Talking Points to use: -Provide them with a clear understanding of the outcomes when funding for the arts is eliminated: loss of jobs, cut back on educational programs, weakened tourism/attendance to community facilities, negative impacts to student achievement. Residents depend on, and enjoy, the diverse arts and cultural programs provided by schools, community centers and nonprofit organizations as a positive quality of life component. Elimination of funding affects everyone: school children, adults and the elderly in our community. -Emphasize the impact the loss of county funds will have on your operations, business and local community. Point out that the arts and culture industry means business. Funding the arts is a direct investment yielding local profitable economic returns. Arts and cultural programs and activities bring real dollars into our community venues and local businesses (restaurants, retail shops, hotels, parks, etc.) -A thriving arts and cultural community promotes future economic development in the county. It signals strong relationships between the municipalities, businesses and residents, and invites future commerce and investors to our area. I’ll keep you updated as more information comes available, and will send out a list of dates for upcoming budget hearings this summer. With great thanks for your support and advocacy efforts, Nell Gyenes Seminole Cultural Arts Council ---County Contacts---- Commissioner Bob Dallari dmerkt@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7215 Commissioner Michael McLean fmacdonald@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7205 Commissioner Dick Van Der Weide deswine@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7207 Commissioner Carlton D. Henley gvenn@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7201 Commissioner Brenda Carey, Chair alockhart@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7209 Cynthia A. Coto, County Manager ccoto@seminolecountyfl.gov 407.665.7211 Mailing Address: Board of County Commissioners Seminole County Services Building 1101 E. First Street Sanford, FL 32771 |
