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Advocacy Action Center
Senate Ways & Means Budget Proposes Level Funding for MCC
(5/16/12) Today the Senate Ways & Means Committee released a proposed budget for the coming fiscal year that would provide level funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). The Senate panel recommended $9.25 million for the MCC in the new fiscal year that begins July 1. That roughly matches the figure proposed by the Governor in January, but is about $250,000 below the $9.5M figure recommended by the House of Representatives in April.
MCC will work with Senator Eileen Donoghue of Lowell — Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development — to file an amendment to increase MCC funding and restore cuts to arts and cultural funding over the past decade. The MCC asks that advocates contact their Senator as soon as possible and urge them to support Senator Donoghue’s amendment. The addition of cosponsors to her amendment will demonstrate that arts and cultural funding has widespread support in the Senate, and that restoring this funding should be a priority. Find contact information for your State Senator.
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House Approves Amendment to Reverse Proposed Budget Cut to MCC
(4/24/12) Two weeks ago, the House Ways and Means Committee recommended a budget of $8.0 million for the Massachusetts Cultural Council in FY13. Last night the House of Representatives approved an amendment to increase that amount to $9.5 million.
The amendment reverses what was originally a proposed cut of $1.2 million in the original Ways and Means budget, and now puts the full House on record supporting an increase of $300,000. The amendment was sponsored by Representative Sarah Peake of Provincetown, and was cosponsored by more than 60 House members.
"This is great news for the cultural community," said MCC Executive Director Anita Walker, "and a testament to all of the legislators who supported this amendment."
"The House recognized that cutting funding for arts and culture would undermine our economic recovery by weakening one of our state's most vibrant sectors. We thank Chairwoman Peake and all of the House members who championed our cause."
Walker urged arts and cultural leaders to maintain their advocacy as the debate moves to the Senate. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will release its budget proposal sometime in mid-May. The House and Senate must agree on a budget plan before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
"We'll continue to make our case," said Walker. "Arts and culture revitalize our communities, enliven our classrooms, and give meaning to our lives. This is a terrific public investment." Back to Top
Sixty House Members Back Amendment 388 to Restore MCC Funding
(4/13/12) Thanks to our collective advocacy more than sixty members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives signed on to stop further cuts to funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). This support is a strong endorsement of the cultural sector’s value, amid yet another challenging year for state finances.
Today Rep. Sarah Peake of Provincetown, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, filed Amendment 388 to increase state cultural funding through MCC to $11 million. Her amendment would reverse a proposed $1.2 million cut to MCC’s budget included in a House Ways & Means Committee budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 released Wednesday.
The Peake amendment was cosponsored by 60 State Representatives from across the Commonwealth—representing communities large and small, urban, suburban, and rural. A full list of co-sponsors is below.
Our challenge now is to assure passage of this amendment when the full House takes up the FY13 budget beginning April 23. Amendments must be approved by a majority of the House, which has 160 members.
If your Representative did not sign on, please contact them before April 23 and urge support for Amendment # 388 to restore state funding for arts and culture through the MCC!
Calls and letters from constituents living and working in communities represented by House leaders can be especially effective. Those include:
- Speaker Robert DeLeo (Winthrop and Revere)
- Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad (Somerset, Dighton, Swansea)
- Majority Leader Ronald Mariano (Quincy, Holbrook, Weymouth)
- Ways and Means Chair Brian Dempsey (Haverhill)
When the House finishes its budget, the debate shifts to the Senate, which will craft its own budget in May. The two chambers must then agree on a final spending plan before sending it back to the Governor for final approval. The new fiscal year begins July 1.
Supporters of Peake Amendment # 388:
1. Rep. Paul Adams of Andover
2. Rep. James Arceiro of Westford
3. Rep. Demetrius Atsalis of Barnstable
4. Rep. Denise Andrews of Orange
5. Rep. Bruce Ayers of Quincy
6. Rep. Ruth Balser of Newton
7. Rep. Carlo Basile of E. Boston
8. Rep. Nicholas Boldyga of Southwick
9. Rep. Antonio Cabral of New Bedford
10. Rep. Thomas Calter of Kingston
11. Rep. Gail Cariddi of N. Adams
12. Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera of Springfield
13. Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland
14. Rep. Mike Costello of Newburyport
15. Rep. Steve DiNatale of Fitchburg
16. Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield
17. Rep. Kim Ferguson of Holden
18. Rep. Ann Margaret Ferrante of Gloucester
19. Rep. Michael Finn of West Springfield
20. Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry of Boston
21. Rep. Gloria Fox of Boston
22. Rep. Sean Garballey of Arlington
23. Rep. William Galvin of Canton
24. Rep. Denise Garlick of Needham
25. Rep. Anne Gobi of Spencer
26. Rep. Jonathan Hecht of Watertown
27. Rep. Brad Hill of Ipswich
28. Rep. Kate Hogan of Stow
29. Rep. Randal Hunt of Sandwich
30. Rep. Michael Kane of Holyoke
31. Rep. John Keenan of Salem
32. Rep. Kay Khan of Newton
33. Rep. Peter Kocot of Northampton
34. Rep. Robert Koczera of New Bedford
35. Rep. John Lawn of Watertown
36. Rep. David Linsky of Natick
37. Rep. Tim Madden of Nantucket
38. Rep. John Mahoney of Worcester
39. Rep. Elizabeth Malia of Boston
40. Rep. Paul Mark of Hancock
41. Rep. Kevin Murphy of Lowell
42. Rep. Alice Peisch of Wellesley
43. Rep. Paul McMurtry of Dedham
44. Rep. Aaron Michlewitz of Boston
45. Rep. Jim O’Day of W. Boylston
46. Rep. Smitty Pignatelli of Lenox
47. Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez of Boston
48. Rep. Angelo Puppolo of Springfield
49. Rep. Denise Provost of Somerville
50. Rep. Paul Schmid of Westport
51. Rep. Tom Sannicandro of Ashland
52. Rep. John Scibak of South Hadley
53. Rep. Carl Sciortino of Somerville
54. Rep. Frank Smizik of Brookline
55. Rep. Thomas Stanley of Waltham
56. Rep. Walter Timilty of Milton
57. Rep. Tim Toomey of Cambridge
58. Rep. Chris Walsh of Framingham
59. Rep. Martin Walsh of Boston
60. Rep. Alice Wolf of Cambridge
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New Year - New Data to Make the Case for Arts & Culture
(1/19/12) At our recent planning forums many of you asked for
timely data on the impact of arts and culture in our communities.
To that end, we’re starting off 2012 with three pieces of great
new information:
Together,
this information will help our sector tell a more compelling
story to elected officials, donors, and the general public about
why the arts, humanities and sciences are worth their investment.
It comes as MCC begins another challenging state budget process: Next week Governor Deval Patrick will release his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2013, which begins July 1.
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Learn more about your state elected officials
Who are they? What are their priorities? How can arts and
culture help them achieve their public policy goals?
Contact MCC's Greg
Liakos or Neluka
Levy to share your stories of how arts and culture are making
your community a better place, or to request information or assistance.
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