GILROY
– Despite tight economic times, Gilroy’s Arts and Culture
Commission feels the arts are important enough to merit additional
funding in the city budget.
GILROY – Despite tight economic times, Gilroy’s Arts and Culture Commission feels the arts are important enough to merit additional funding in the city budget.
In a presentation made to the City Council, Commissioner Karen LaCorte urged the council to consider a public measure for the arts.
“The Cultural Center is in the works. We have all these new ideas and no funding from the city,” she said.
The commission currently receives $300 a year out of the city’s general fund and serves as an advisory arm to the city council. The commission can use the money for training, publications, special projects and anything else they find necessary.
Her presentation highlighted efforts made in Monterey, San Jose, Modesto, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz and Brea in Southern California to fund the arts. For example, San Jose receives two percent of developers’ fees.
“It is our commission’s hope that Gilroy would be comparable to other cities in budget,” LaCorte said in Monday’s presentation.
In addition to presenting specific statistics regarding the amount of money allocated in each city, LaCorte quoted from the Section 909 of the city charter, reminding council of their responsibility “to encourage and coordinate a fund-raising committee of Gilroy residents duly appointed by the council of Gilroy to develop and implement fund-raising activities to support the Arts and Culture in and for the city of Gilroy.”
“It is their job to do this for us,” LaCorte said. Despite LaCorte’s efforts, the decision is currently out of council’s hands according to City Administrator Jay Baksa.
“Right now all requests are caught in the middle of the state budget crisis,” he said.
Until the council knows how much money they will receive from the state, all decisions to allocate additional funds for any project or group will be put on hold. If the city receives the money, they will look at all requests for funding this spring at a council retreat, Baksa said.
Although the city must wait to address the commission’s proposal, Mayor Al Pinheiro welcomed LaCorte’s suggestions.
“I’m glad that Karen brought it up. This is something we could visit on the council retreat,” he said. Pinheiro emphasized that during this time of budget cuts, any action that will affect the city financially must be looked at even more carefully.
At a commission retreat on Oct. 24, members mapped out goals and future activities with the support of a facilitator.
One new idea includes a “Business and Arts Partnership Award” which will be presented at the annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet and mirrors an award given in San Francisco and San Jose.
The commission has also started an “Art Ambassador” program to gather community volunteers to aid and represent the commission.
