COAST speaks out against billion dollar tax for the "Arts"

Yesterday, COAST Chairman Jim Urling was featured in the Cincinnati Enquirer and on 700 WLW's Bill Cunningham show opposing the new proposed $1 billion tax to promote the "Arts" in Cincinnati.

As COAST warned its members on December 11 of last year, there is a move afoot in Cincinnati's corporate boardrooms to impose a new tax on Hamilton County residents for the "arts." On Tuesday of this week, supporters of the tax proposal began their push for more public funding by releasing a study demanding $1 billion in additional funding over the coming 20 years. In the Enquirer, Chairman Urling forcefully advanced the counter-argument: "If the arts are popular enough they can be sustained by private support. I don't think it's the proper role of government. This is a classic sort of thing that ought to rise and fall with market forces. If people like it, they'll pay for it."

The push for "Arts" funding includes monies for the Contemporary Arts Center, the terribly mis-managed National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Madcap Productions Puppet Theater and Artworks.

In addition to this, Urling said on the Bill Cunningham show: "Do the same people who mis-manage our cultural and non-profit institutions, resulting in huge deficits, realize how silly they look then turning around and demanding tax dollars?"

Supporters of new taxes for the "Arts" have not identified a funding mechanism, but given the new liberal, democrat county commission, it appears big-spenders are targeting a County property tax levy for the revenue. Arts supporters are shooting for a $30 million tax increase to fund their demands.

COAST will remain vigilant, advising its members of the moves towards bigger government to fund someone else's vision of "art" paid for with your tax dollars.