Another 4Culture Arts Bill Teeing Up - Last Chance This Session

Advocate 4Culture organization has announced one more opportunity to pass a bill to fund 4Culture going forward to the future.

The last one missed by one vote in the Senate! This one is SB 5961. 
Here is the message from Advocate 4Culture. Please give it one more try and tell your legislators and especially those who "made a mistake last time" and voted against it
that this one is really, really worthwhile and will create good jobs and support the local and statewide economies! 

Let's Make it Work This Time!

NEW BILL TODAY! SB5961 needs your help ASAP!!!

There's a new bill for 4Culture, which actually sweetens the deal for arts and heritage. This is a direct outcome of your advocacy. We are being rewarded in this next attempt to pass a coalition bill.

The new bill, SB 5961 is dropping in the Senate today. We all need to send two emails immediately. The special session ends on Wednesday, so this is one of our last chance efforts. Lists and text suggestions below.

1. An email to people who voted yes for SB 5958.

Subject: Thank you and Yes on SB 5961

"Dear Senator,

Thank you for voting yes on SB 5958. I was saddened by its failure, but I noticed and am grateful for your support. Please now vote yes on SB 5961, which will fund 4Culture, saving jobs and growing our economy.

Thank you again."

Copy these email addresses into the BCC field for the above message. These are the nice people that voted yes on SB 5958.

lisa.brown@leg.wa.gov, maralyn.chase@leg.wa.gov, steve.conway@leg.wa.gov,tracey.eide@leg.wa.gov, karen.fraser@leg.wa.gov, jim.hargrove@leg.wa.gov,nick.harper@leg.wa.gov, brian.hatfield@leg.wa.gov,marymargaret.haugen@leg.wa.gov, steve.hobbs@leg.wa.gov,karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov, derek.kilmer@leg.wa.gov, adam.kline@leg.wa.gov,jeanne.kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov, rosemary.mcauliffe@leg.wa.gov,edward.murray@leg.wa.gov, sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov,margarita.prentice@leg.wa.gov, craig.pridemore@leg.wa.gov,kevin.ranker@leg.wa.gov, debbie.regala@leg.wa.gov, paull.shin@leg.wa.gov,rodney.tom@leg.wa.gov, scott.white@leg.wa.gov

2. Send this email to Senators who didn't vote yes on SB 5958:

Subject: Vote YES on SB 5961!

"Dear Senator,

As a strong supporter of arts and heritage, I was hurt by the failure of SB 5958. I noticed you were not among the yes voters. With SB 5961, you have another chance to create jobs, grow our economy and keep our region competitive in the new economy. Failure to pass SB 5961 will kill jobs and stunt our area's economic growth.

Please vote yes on SB 5961. Thank you."

And here's the list for the no voters:

michael.baumgartner@leg.wa.gov, jeff.baxter@leg.wa.gov,randi.becker@leg.wa.gov, don.benton@leg.wa.gov, michael.carrell@leg.wa.gov,jerome.delvin@leg.wa.gov, doug.ericksen@leg.wa.gov, joe.fain@leg.wa.gov,mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov, andy.hill@leg.wa.gov,janea.holmquistnewbry@leg.wa.gov, jim.honeyford@leg.wa.gov,jim.kastama@leg.wa.gov, curtis.king@leg.wa.gov, steve.litzow@leg.wa.gov,bob.morton@leg.wa.gov, linda.parlette@leg.wa.gov, cheryl.pflug@leg.wa.gov,pam.roach@leg.wa.gov, phil.rockefeller@leg.wa.gov, mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov,timothy.sheldon@leg.wa.gov, val.stevens@leg.wa.gov, dan.swecker@leg.wa.gov,joseph.zarelli@leg.wa.gov

Okay, here we go folks. This is the next stage in our fight. Nobody said this was going to be easy. We're not giving up, and neither are you. We will get this done together.

Heritage and Culture Bill to Be Considered in State Leg

4Culture has a Story about a possible solution for funding the Arts, Culture and Heritage Programs in our WA State. 


The public arts, culture and heritage agency has been a proponent of new funding mechanisms for our state.  The funding mechanism that has been in place for decades is reaching a deadline. That is the so called "hotel/motel" tax.  


Communities and non-profits have been able to access these funds for decades to preserve their cultural heritage and promote tourism and arts programs. These programs have provided millions of dollars to local economies as shown in a recent study by the UW.


Can we afford NOT to fund these programs?


(see previous article in Of Paramount Importance Blog
http://ofparamount.blogspot.com/2011/01/arts-fund-study-shows-huge-economic.html)


An advocacy program has also sprung up to promote the solution. It's called Advocate 4Culture.
Over 700 organizations and individuals have joined forces to promote the solution. 
http://www.advocate4culture.org/


4Culture is an Public Development Authority that promotes cultural and heritage programs in the region.

Ronald School built in 1912
4Culture has funded grant
programs that have benefitted
this historic building and the
Shoreline Historical Museum

Blog4Culture

   Advancing Conversation About Culture in King County, Washington

HB 1997 proposes future funding for 4Culture as part of king county’s economic development strategy

Feb 18th, 2011 by Sara Edwards

As many of our constituents are well aware,  the state credit on lodging taxes that support 4Culture’s programs will sunset for cultural use in 2012, and would result in a 90% cut in 4Culture’s funding and programs as early as next year. In September 2010, 4Culture’s board renewed their commitment to resolving this funding crisis, by passing Resolution 2010-02 which makes “securing the use of future lodging tax revenues for arts and heritage” among their highest priorities.

The Board has been working with King County leadership and the state legislature toward this end. Today, a bill dropped in the House, HB 1997, that will secure the future for 4Culture’s arts, heritage, and preservation funding programs.

HB 1997, was drafted by King County leadership in conversation with key support from key legislative champions in the House and Senate. The lead sponsor is Representative Orwall. The bill proposes to secure existing visitor taxes and direct them toward economic development activities: arts & heritage, tourism-related facilities, such as the convention center, community development activities, low-income housing developments, and revitalization of the historic Pioneer Square district and culturally rich International District.)

King County’s press release on HB  1997

Public hearing(s) for this bill should be scheduled in the next few days, and may occur mid-next week. We will post updates on hearings, as they are scheduled.