“BREAK THE DEAL!”
LEGISLATORS STILL HAVE A CHOICE
TO DO THE RIGHT THING!
THE STORY BEHIND THE BUDGET DEAL
AND THE GOVERNOR’S VETOES
Dear Arts Supporters:
One legislator has been forthright in telling his constituents why next week, the Governor’s vetoes will be sustained unless we can get our legislators to ‘BREAK THE DEAL”. We thought you would want to know this important information. Please read the following from House Majority Leader, Representative Kenny Bingham (R-Lexington Co.):
“In the House of Representatives, our first try to pass the final budget conference report, failed by a vote of 47 to 69. After several days of intense negotiations, we were finally able to pass the budget, but only by the slimmest of margins and without any help from the House Democrats. This set the stage for what we now have before us. As a result of not having the support of House Democrats throughout this years budget process, this allowed the Governor and a group of his closest allies, to hold us hostage with this year's budget. We were faced with the dilemma of either agreeing to accept his line item vetoes, or he was going to veto the entire budget document which would have required that we start the budget process over from scratch. A process that took 5 months to complete the first time, and one that would have been next to impossible to complete prior to government having to shut down on July 1st.
Therefore, when the House Democrats informed us on the last day of session that they would not help us override the Governor's veto of the entire budget, we were left with no other real option but to agree to sustain the Governor's line item vetoes. While this is clearly not the kind of news that I hoped to be sending you, it is unfortunately the truth. So barring the Governor having a change of heart, or some other unforeseen circumstance, I anticipate that the Governor's vetoes will be sustained.”
WE CAN BREAK THIS DEAL!
THIS IS THE LAST BILL THAT WILL EVER CROSS OVER GOVERNOR SANFORD’S DESK. THE VETO MONEY THAT IS SLASHED FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION (#32 & #105) AND ANY OTHER AGENCY, WILL NOT BE RE-DIRECTED TO ANY OTHER AGENCY, PROGRAM OR SERVICE. THE BUDGET PROCESS IS COMPLETE AND WAS BALANCED, VOTED ON, AND PASSED BY THE HOUSE & SENATE. THESE VETO CUTS DON’T HELP ANYONE – BUT THEY DO HURT THE ARTS! THEREFORE, THESE LEGISLATORS HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND MUCH TO GAIN BY BREAKING THE DEAL AND OVERRIDING THE GOVERNOR’S VETOES. OUR LEGISLATORS WORK FOR YOU! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
IF YOU FEEL THAT THE ARTS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS, CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND TELL THEM TO “BREAK THE DEAL”. CONTACT YOUR HOUSE MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY AND THEN YOUR SENATORS – in your home district or in Columbia BY TUESDAY! Even if you have already contacted your legislator, you may want to contact them again with this new information, asking them to BREAK THE DEAL!
OVERRIDE VETO #32 & VETO #105
Governor Mark Sanford has issued vetoes that will decimate the South Carolina Arts Commission and state arts funding as we know it! Veto #32 cuts “Statewide Arts Services” totaling $1,212,733 – a little over HALF of the Arts Commission’s budget. This funding represents their budget for programs, services, grants and related personnel, leaving the agency but a shell of itself with no ability to carry out its mission and undermining 40 years of work as the catalyst of arts funding and services in our state. This funding also includes arts education – such as the nationally recognized Arts in Basic Curriculum Project (ABC). Veto #105 cuts the $250,000 in stimulus funds for their competitive grants program, which funds local arts programs in communities and school districts in every county of the state. These grants fund arts education, general operating support for local arts organizations and efforts to grow the arts economy of our state through cultural tourism. These drastic cuts will virtually leave the Arts Commission incapable of serving the citizens of this state.
The State Museum is holding a rally at the Statehouse on Tuesday at 11:30 AM. Please feel free to join them and bring your own signage that says something like “Support the Arts – Override Veto 32 and Veto 105” or “Break the Deal!” Override Veto 32 and Veto 105 and support the Arts.”
- For contact information of all House and Senate members, go to the Arts Alliance web site: www.scartsalliance.net and click 2010 General Assembly Contact List.
- If you don’t know who your House or Senate member is, go to http://www.scstatehouse.gov/
cgi-bin/zipcodesearch.exe and type in your zip code to bring up your legislator’s contact information. - For contact information on your legislative delegation, go to: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/
countydelegationinfo/cntymast. .html
Here is some other helpful information:
House Fax: 803-734-2925
House Ways & Means Phone number (Rep. Dan Cooper’s office) 803-734-3144
Senate Fax: 803-212-6299
Senate Finance Committee Phone number (Senator Hugh Leatherman’s office) 803-212-6640
Please share/forward this email to your colleagues and friends, board member, volunteers, affiliate organizations, teachers. Share it through your address lists, using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter. This is a case where NUMBERS MATTER!
If you believe in the work of the South Carolina Arts Alliance, please support our work with your 100% tax deductible contribution at:
http://www.scartsalliance.net/
"Celebrating 30 Years of Service to the Arts"
Betty Plumb, Executive Director
South Carolina Arts Alliance
P. O. Box 2442
Rock Hill, SC 29732-4442
PH 803-325-2435; FX 803-325-2463
Betty.Plumb@scArtsAlliance.net
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