CALL TO ACTION Once again, the powers-that-be are out to eliminate the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, including all grants and most of the City owned arts facilities. We need to mount a massive campaign to stop this nonsense before it goes too far.
WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON? Late on Friday (too late for most interested parties to be informed) The City Administrative Officer, Miguel A. Santana, released his overall vision for the next couple of years, including a recommendation to -ELIMINATE THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSFER THE PUBLIC ARTS PROGRAM TO PUBLIC WORKS.- This effectively removes dedicated arts specialists from any involvement in the City-s cultural life.
WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN? The City’s Budget and Finance Committee will meet Monday to hear this proposal.They will make changes, pass it on to the entire City Council, incorporate the ideas into the upcoming budget, or table the proposal. There is no way to know the exact time-line, but, given the current budgetary urgency, it could move forward very quickly. WE MUST ACT NOW and forestall the idea of eliminating DCA before it gains any momentum. We must at least slow this down long enough to give the arts community time to muster its resources.
TO READ THE EXACT DOCUMENT GO TO: http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=10-0600-S61 ( http://gyst.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=P_W1rAAOAAEAAAYPAATfaw ) In the upper right hand corner, click on -Report from City Administrative Officer- to download the PDF. The pertinent material starts on page 95. If you have trouble wading through the language, please feel free to send an email to NewTown at info@newtownarts.org and we will do our best to help you.
WHAT CAN I DO?While the Budget and Finance committee meeting called Monday March 21 at City Hall, Room 340 at 9:00 AM. City Hall is at 200 N. Spring Street has passed, you can send emails, make phone calls or send snail mail expressing your views to the people at the end of this alert.
WE MUST ACT QUICKLY! Although there are still official layers to peel off before this becomes the law, we need to swamp their offices, as much as possible, to let them know the arts community can make a big noise. We must keep bugging them until they give in.
E-MAIL, CALL, OR SEND A LETTER TO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
200 North Spring Street, Room 303 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 978-0600 Fax: (213) 978-0750
Email: mayor@lacity.org
Miguel A. Santana, City Administrative Officer - phone at 213-473-7534
Bernard C. Parks, Budget and Finance Committee Chair
200 N. Spring Street, Rm. 460 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-473-7008
Fax: 213-485-7683
Email: Councilmember.Parks@lacity.org
Greig Smith, Budget and Finance Committee
200 N. Spring St., Room 405 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 473-7012 Fax: (213) 473-6925
Email: councilmember.greigsmith@lacity.org
Bill Rosendahl, Budget and Finance Committee
200 N. Spring Street, Room 415
Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 473-7011 (213) 473-6926 Fax
Email: Councilman.Rosendahl@lacity.org
Jose Huizar
Budget and Finance Committee
200 N. Spring Street, Room 465
Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone: (213) 473-7014 Fax: (213) 847-0680
Email: councilmember.huizar@lacity.org
Paul Koretz, Budget and Finance Committee
200 North Spring Street, Room 440 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-473-7005 Fax: 213-978-2250
Email: councilmember.koretz@lacity.org
