Here is something you can do to help maintain arts funding in Miami-Dade County for organizations like Subtropics, iSAW, South Florida Composers Alliance, etc.:
1. (and only) write a letter to your county commissioner immediately! (disclaimer: this is not a call to action)
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Commissioner (Insert Last Name Here)
(Potential first sentence for the letter sent to the Commissioner for the district in which you live/vote:) I am writing to you, my elected representative to the County Commission, to let you know of my deep and abiding concern as a resident and voter regarding the County’s FY2009/10 budget.
(Potential first sentence for letters sent to all other County Commissioners:) There are critical issues affecting the County’s arts and cultural support for which we need your help.
The Mayor’s proposed budget cut to the Department of Cultural Affairs is intolerable.
While we understand the need to prune the County’s operational budget to fill the large budget gap, we ask that you seriously look at the entire budget and ask yourself how shortsighted it would be to lose important support of the cultural community. Consider the millions of dollars the arts generate each year which would be lost in these reductions. The County’s economic impact of the arts study, released last year by the Department of Cultural Affairs, demonstrates that every $1 dollar of County arts funding invested leverages $27 of other private and public funds. This return on investment is remarkable evidence of the effective and worthwhile use of public funds. While $3.5 million is comparatively little in the context of the County’s target for overall budget reduction, it is an enormous portion of the County’s investment in its cultural life. Cutting these funds will have devastating, ripple effects across the various other funding sources that the County’s support helps to generate.
Annually, Miami-Dade’s arts industry generates nearly $1 billion in local economic impact, employs roughly 23,000 people full-time, and, in addition, receives the contributed skills and time of 19,000 arts volunteers. Thousands of jobs will be lost if these cuts are kept in place.
County government’s leadership and investment in the arts and culture has contributed directly to our community beginning to realize its goal of becoming one of the world’s most exciting cultural destinations. The proposed draconian cuts to the Department of Cultural Affairs will disrupt the cultural growth of our community and will cripple our efforts to attain our ambitions to attract business, tourism and citizens who are proud to call Miami-Dade County a true leader in arts and culture.
Thank you for your past support and for recognizing the value, importance and far-reaching benefits of building a great cultural life for our community. I strongly urge you to vote to continue current support for the arts and the budget of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Who is your Commissioner? Click here to find out
Miami Dade Board of County Commissioners:
District 1
Barbara J. Jordan
305-375-5694
District1@miamidade.gov
District 2
Dorrin D. Rolle
305-375-4833
BMORRIS2@miamidade.gov
District 3
Audrey M. Edmonson
305-375-5393
District3@miamidade.gov
District 4
Sally A. Heyman
305-375-5128
District4@miamidade.gov
District 5
Bruno A. Barreiro
305-643-8525
District5@miamidade.gov
District 6
Rebeca Sosa
305-375-5696
District6@miamidade.gov
District 7
Carlos A. Gimenez
305-375-5680
District7@miamidade.gov
District 8
Katy Sorenson
305-375-5218
District8@miamidade.gov
District 9
Dennis C. Moss (Chair)
305-375-4832
DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
District 10
Javier D. Souto
305-375-4835
District10@miamidade.gov
District 11
Joe A. Martinez
305-375-5511
District11@miamidade.gov
District 12
José “Pepe” Diaz
305-375-4343
District12@miamidade.gov
District 13
Natcha Seijas
305-375-4831
No email – Fax 305-375-2011