Tax Hike Means Dallas Cultural Organizations Spared Funding Cuts

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KERA’s BJ Austin reports:

Dallas cultural programs have been spared funding cuts of more than 50% with passage of a tax hike today, Wednesday, at City Hall.

Council members heard from a number of speakers, urging them to pass the 4.9 cent tax rate increase, and restore funding to arts programs, which took a 30% cut last year.

Kristen Brandt James, with Junior Players and David Lozano, with Cara Mia Theatre Company were among the speakers, followed by Phyllis Guest and Solomon Espie

Veletta Lill, Dallas Arts District Director, says the tax hike saves the Cultural Projects Program (CPP) and the Community Arts Program (formerly NTP – Neighborhood Touring Program). Both had been tagged for elimination from the city budget.

Lill says the tax hike appropriation for cultural programs comes to 2.5 million dollars.

You can hear their testimony here:

About Jerome Weeks

Jerome Weeks is the Senior Arts Reporter/Producer for KERA. Previously at The Dallas Morning News, he was the book columnist for 10 years and the drama critic for 10 years before that. His writing has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, American Theatre and Men’s Vogue magazines. View more about Jerome Weeks.