More information about the county’s proposed cuts to the arts budget from the Lowe Art Museum. Some good dates here for meetings.
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Dear Lowe Art Museum Supporters,
I am writing to update our members and supporters about the continuing budget process. As you may have heard the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners recently voted to preserve the maximum flexibility to set a budget for the 2009-2010 year that responds to the current economic environment and invites additional put input into the final budget process.
The vote did NOT raise taxes, eliminate jobs, salaries or programs, but set the stage for an open, vigorous public process over the next 55 days when a final hearing on the 2009-2010 budget at 5:01 p.m., Thursday, September 17, 2009.
The next several weeks are critical if we are to maintain any funding for arts and culture in our community. If you have not already written the members of the Miami-Dade County Commission and specifically your elected commissioner, I urge you to do so now. Tell the Commission what arts and culture mean to you and share with them what the loss will be to this community if they support a more than $11 million reduction in the budget for arts and culture grants for this community. A reduction of this magnitude will, I assure you, be devastating both to the Lowe and many organizations, which will simply cease to exist. If you have already written, please write again. The Commission needs to hear from its constitutents.
Please place these two important dates and times on your calendars:
5:01 p.m., Thursday, September 3, 2009-First public hearing on the FY 2009-2010 budget.
5:01 p.m., Thursday, September 17, 2009-Final budget hearing on the FY 2009-2010 budget.
Thank you again for your continuing support of the Lowe Art Museum and other important community cultural institutions.
Sincerely,
Brian A. Dursum
Director and Chief Curator
Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami
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