On behalf of ArtPRIDE New Jersey and the Advocates for New Jersey History, Jeff Woodward, President of ArtPRIDE testified before the Assembly Budget Committee in support of A3710. The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Roberts (D-5), Anthony Impreveduto (D-32), Reed Gusciora (D-15), and John McKeon (D-27), provides in Fiscal Year 2004 a $13 million appropriation to the NJ State Council on the Arts for cultural projects; $3 million to the NJ Historical Commission, $500,000 to the NJ Cultural Trust, and $10 million to the NJ Commerce & Economic Growth Commission for tourism advertising and promotion. Funds will be available by imposing a hotel and motel occupancy fee of 7% in FY2004 and 5% in FY2005. In FY2005 and thereafter, the bill provides dedicated revenue for all entities mentioned, with not less than $19.64 million to the NJ State Council on the Arts, $4.52 million to the NJ Historical Commission, $760,000 to the NJ Cultural Trust and $15.08 million to the NJ Commerce & Economic Growth Commission.

ArtPRIDE’s testimony commended primary sponsor Assemblyman Roberts for his leadership in seeking restoration of arts and history funding and for his foresight in proposing a dedicated revenue source for cultural programs. Testimony pointed out that the arts and history did not seek to be funded through a tax, and that state support is not a partisan issue, but one that assures that people of all economic backgrounds may enjoy arts and history activities in their own communities.

A3710 passed through committee along party lines. Its companion bill S2670 (Bryant- D-5) was held by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee along with all other revenue enhancement bills, and may be heard in committee on Tuesday.

A3000 was voted in the Assembly yesterday. The Senate version has yet to be voted upon and is being negotiated presently.

A3000 contains the abovementioned expense lines for arts and history grant programs and contains separate administrative expense lines for the NJSCA, NJ Historical Commission and the NJ Cultural Trust. It also contains the following direct grants: $1 million for the South Jersey Performing Arts Center, $1.9 million for the NJ Performing Arts Center, $1.5 million for the NJ Symphony Orchestra, $300,000 for the Haddonfield Symphony, $2.7 million for the Newark Museum.

• Call, fax, write or email your legislators, particularly on Monday and Tuesday of next week! Ask them to support full restoration of arts and history funding, as well as administrative budgets for the cultural agencies. Phone calls and faxes are particularly effective at this time. Sample letters and contact information including phone and fax numbers are available under ACTION, then Email Legislators at www.artpridenj.com Sample letters and a fax back form that you can sign and fax to your legislators are also located there.

• Participate in a rally planned to “Save NJ Today” on Monday, June 23 in Trenton outside of the State House Annex at 10:30 am. Members of the various coalitions affected by the budget cuts will be represented. The rally is planned to last one hour, and there are no further details available at this time.

• Keep checking the ArtPRIDE web site for updated information.

It is important to acknowledge the bipartisan support of legislators who have been especially supportive of arts and history funding restoration throughout this difficult budget cycle. Their task is a most difficult one, to say the least, and they have not lost sight of the importance of state cultural funding when all dollars were eliminated. In your calls, letters and faxes, please thank them for their support and urge them to pass a budget that demonstrates their efforts over the past several months—one that restores cultural funding for grant programs and agency staff.