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New York Folklore Society P.O. Box 764 Schenectady, NY 12301 518/346-7008 Fax 518/346-6617 nyfs@nyfolklore.org |
Advocacy News and Action Updates ADVOCACY | Advocacy and Communications Tips | News & Action Updates | You Gotta Have Art!  From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations State Budget Done/$10 million restored to NYSCA August 4, 2010 $10 million of $16.5 million cut restored to NYSCA! Great News: The State Arts Council received a RESTORATION of $10 MILLION, reducing the Governor’s proposed 40% cut to 15% in this budget. The restoration was included in the Education Bill which was passed by the Legislature several weeks ago, bringing the NYSCA local assistance budget to $35.1 million. You may recall that the budget was passed in pieces, and often through the extender bills that allow the government to function in the absence of a budget. The completed budget passed last night, making it one of the latest state budgets in history. ...125 days late. The budget is projected to be $136.5 billion.....a spending increase of 2.4% over the previous year. This was one of the most contentious budget negotiations in years. The Governor’s Gap Closing Plan increased his own Executive budget cut to the arts from 15% to 40%, another $10 million on top of the $6.5 million he initially proposed. But in the negotiations in the Education Bill, the legislature ignored the Governor’s Gap Closing cut of $10 million and added another $1.613 million. The “add” was soon vetoed by the Governor, but he could not legally veto his own Executive Budget proposal. Hence a NYSCA local assistance budget of $35.1 million for 2010-11. This is a good time to thank your legislators for their support of the NYSCA budget. Given the severe cuts around the State, NYSCA fared very well in this budget negotiation. We are proud of the power of our grass roots campaign to help protect government support of the arts. Judith K. Weiner Executive Director NYS ARTS From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations State Budget : IT IS NOT OVER June 29, 2010 NY State Budget Update! IT IS NOT OVER! Nothing is safe in this budget. CONTINUE TO MAKE PHONE CALLS asking for a restoration of arts funding. Call Assemblyman Shelly Silver at 518-455-3791 and Senator John Sampson at 518-455-2788 and the Governor at 518-474-8390. The Senate and Assembly partnered on a budget appropriation bill that restored millions in the education and health/mental health bills. It was approved on Monday and hours later, the Governor vetoed the school aid appropriation of $419 million, with the promise to veto additional bills. This has effectively created a confrontation and unfolding drama. This action comes after the Legislature did not approve the Governor’s extender bill #13 on Monday and instead came up with a two way appropriation bill of their own. You may recall that the arts are in the Education, Labor and Family Assistance bill, one of the last to be negotiated because the other cuts had already been approved in the weekly extenders. This legislative appropriation effectively restored most of the cut that was on the table for the arts, reducing a 40% cut to about 15% or $6 million. Here are the numbers in the Legislative appropriation: $35,150,000 + add of $1,613,000 = $36,763,000. The 2009-10 NYSCA budget is $41.6 million. It would seem that the appropriation bills complete the state budget which is now three months late. However, the Governor’s veto sets the stage for another battle, although it is likely that the Legislature will seek to override the veto today, Tuesday June 29. To override the Governor’s veto, I understand that the Senate will need 10 Republicans.....and that is a long shot. The Legislature is also preparing to approve $1 billion in taxes and fees to cover the restorations in their appropriation bill. Anything in the Legislature’s bill that was recommended in the Gov’s Executive budget automatically becomes law now that they have passed both Houses. However, it is not clear what will happen in the event that that the Legislature and the Executive budget are in conflict...as in the NYSCA funding. Judith K. Weiner Executive Director NYS ARTS From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations SAVE THE ARTS IN MY COMMUNITY REJECT THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED 40% CUT May 21, 2010 Our message to our Legislators is SAVE THE ARTS in MY Community and REJECT the Governor's Proposed 40% Cut! SAVE THE ARTS starts MAY 20 and continues until we have a state budget. Here are examples of what YOU can do:
We are told that there is little or no movement on the budget in Albany, although we are already almost two months past the budget deadline.....and the state continues to operate on weekly continuing resolutions. If the legislature does not approve those weekly resolutions, then the state government grinds to a halt. Chaos reigns. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations 7,500 emails to Albany; we need more!! May 4, 2010 Send a letter Rejecting the Governors Proposal! Stand Up and be counted! If we do not fight for arts funding, we will absolutely sustain a devastating cut. Every email matters. Every voice makes a difference. Tell your legislators and the leaders in both houses what will happen in your community if NYSCA funding is cut another 40%. We already have 7,500 emails to Albany....we need at least 10,000 this week. The Governor proposed a 40% cut to NYSCA local assistance (grantmaking) funding for 2010–11. Tell them what your organization will have to do if its NYSCA funding were cut by 40%. We must not let this proposal go unchallenged... send your letter TODAY! From Ellen McHale, Executive Director New York Folklore Society Your assistance is needed now! April 28, 2010 Governor Paterson’s revised Executive Budget proposes to further slash funding for the arts in New York State. On April 27, 2010, Governor David Paterson announced a revised Executive Budget proposal for the 2010–11 fiscal year. This new proposal recommends a total of $25.2 million for NYSCA’s Local Assistance (grant making) budget for the 2010–11 fiscal year, and the same amount for the following 2011–12 allocation. This most recent proposal represents a nearly 40% [39.4%] decrease in Local Assistance funding from 2009–10 levels ($41.6 million), far exceeding the cuts proposed for most other New York State agencies. In his revised Executive Budget, Governor Paterson has also proposed reducing NYSCA’s administrative budget to $4.84 million in 2010–11. This represents a nearly 12% [11.84%] decrease from 2009-10 levels ($5.49 million). The total proposed 2010–11 budget for NYSCA totals $30.4 million. At this level of funding, New York State’s per capita spending on Arts would drop from $2.48 to $0.77. New York’s ranking as the 3rd highest per capita support for the Arts in the U.S. would drop to 26th, ranking just above Arkansas at $0.74 per capita and below the national average of $0.90 per capita. (Source: National Assembly of State Arts Agencies) Now is the time to act! Contact your local New York State Senator or State Assemblyman and say "NO!" to these cuts. Keep the Arts Alive in New York State! From Sara Ogger, Ph.D., Executive Director NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES Thank You, and Act Now! April 20, 2010 THANK YOU to all our supporters—more than two hundred of you!—who have advocated to your state legislators on behalf of the public humanities in New York State. If you haven’t yet written your legislators, you still have the chance to do so today. It will take just two minutes of your time to get this very important message across, and IT’S WORKING! Three more assemblymembers have written to Speaker Silver on our behalf as a result of your efforts! Write Your Legislators! Thank you for taking a moment to urge restoration of our state funding for next year, which is facing a cut of 50% or worse. With your help, we can ensure that all New Yorkers continue to benefit from our unique programs. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations We still can get 10,000 messages to Albany! April 16, 2010 The budget negotiations in Albany are moving slowly. Very slowly. The Senate and Assembly are about $3.2 Billion apart in closing the $9.2 Billion budget deficit. This is OUR time to send emails to our legislators. It is simple. It takes two minutes....or less. In the budget resolutions, the Senate restored $3.25 million or 50% of the $6.5 million cut to NYSCA local assistance (grants) funding proposed by the Governor. The Assembly restored $1.6 million or 25% of the cut proposed by the Governor. Send our legislators the following message: 1) To your Senator: Thank you for your support. Please be vigilant and make sure that the 50% restoration of $3.250 million to NYSCA local assistance is maintained. 2) To your Assembly members: Please increase the restoration from 25% or $1.6 million to 50% or $3.250 million, matching the Senate support of NYSCA local assistance funding. This is THE time to make our voices heard. Numbers can and do change in the final hours. Send your message NOW. From ERIE CANAL NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR Proposed 2011 Budget Cuts Funding for Heritage Areas and Preservation Programs April 13, 2010 The Obama Administration’s proposed federal budget for 2011 would zero out funding for national heritage areas authorized prior to 2001, including the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. It would also cut funding for other national heritage areas by 50 percent. In addition, the budget as proposed would eliminate two key historic preservation programs – Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America. The Alliance of National Heritage Areas, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and others are working to restore full funding for these programs. To find out more, visit the National Trust website. Benefits of Heritage Development
From Sara Ogger, Ph.D., Executive Director NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES Humanities Council’s State Funding at Risk! March 29, 2010 The NY Council for the Humanities stands to lose a significant portion of its state funds, unless the Assembly and Senate rise to the occasion and demand restoration. With the budget resolution currently underway, there is not a moment to lose. We are counting on you to urge your legislators to restore these vital funds! To tell your legislators how important the public humanities are to you and explain what your community stands to lose if funds are not restored, please click here: Write Your Legislators We’ve provided sample letters that will be sent to your State Assemblymember and Senator. You may customize the letters by telling your own story about the Council’s grants and programs — or just hit send! Each letter sent strengthens our case for restoration of much-needed state funds for FY2011 — funds that will help us to enrich communities like yours with reading and discussion series, lectures, exhibits, and more. Thank you for taking a moment to send letters to your legislators. Your support could not come at more crucial point. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations Are you ready for ARTS DAY 2010? February 18, 2010 Sign Up with NYS ARTS and let us know you are coming to ARTS DAY. Remember when you sign up, we will send you charts and graphs to help with your advocacy efforts. Send a Letter to your legislators — Tell them we need to HOLD THE LINE and keep NYSCA local assistance funding LEVEL at $41.6 million. Call your legislator — make your appointments. Know the facts: The Governor’s proposed 2010–11 budget cut arts grants by 15.5%: Local assistance (grants) funding was cut by $6.5 million ($6,452,783 million to be precise)...reduced from $41,602,783 million to $35.150 million. NYSCA Operations budget was cut $644,000 or 10% from $5.482 million to $4.838 million, requiring a reduction of the NYSCA workforce by 10 positions....from 44 to 34. Know our position: Level Funding We are asking the Legislature to hold funding for arts grants in the 2010-2011 budget LEVEL at $41.6 million. Legislators need to see us and hear from us. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations ARTS DAY NEWS January 27, 2010 ARTS DAY is February 24, 2010, in Albany. NYS ARTS organizes a yearly advocacy effort where arts leaders and artists from all corners of New York State will meet lawmakers in Albany to make the case for protecting the New York State Council on the Arts budget. Arts leaders and advocates explain and demonstrate how state funding for the arts revitalizes communities and families and how this investment contributes to the economy and social vitality of the entire state. 9:00 a.m. Arts Day Headquarters opens. Pick up arts Day buttons and position papers 9:30 a.m. Arts Day Briefing: Judith K. Weiner, Executive Director NYS ARTS 11:00 a.m. Joint Committee Hearing led by Senator Jose Serrano and Assemblyman Steven Englebright Schedule your appointments with your legislators before and/or after the 11 a.m. – 12 noon Joint Committee Hearing. Sign up now for Arts Day 2010. February 24, 2010 ARTS DAY 2010 Keep the Arts Alive in NY State! All day in Albany NYS ARTS organizes a yearly advocacy effort where arts leaders and artists from all corners of New York State will meet lawmakers in Albany to make the case for protecting the New York State Council on the Arts budget. Arts leaders and advocates will explain and demonstrate how state funding for the arts revitalizes communities and families and how this investment contributes to the economy and social vitality of the entire state. Come show your support for the arts and make your voice heard on February 24, 2010! Sign up here. This year HEARING ROOM A in the LOB is NYS ARTS Arts Day Headquarters and is also the location of the Rally and Hearing. Starting at 9 a.m., check in and pick up Arts Day tips and tools, advocacy handouts, Arts Day buttons, and meet and greet fellow advocates. NYS ARTS has reserved and paid for a limited number of parking spaces in the VISITORS lot at the LOB, in Albany. Reserve your parking space for $12 From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations Budget Alert: Remaining NYSCA funds cut $384,000 December 4, 2009 NYSCA loses $384,000 from the remaining local assistance funds in the CURRENT budget. You may recall that at the final Council meeting on October 28, grant recommendations were made in the amount of $6,562,592....the amount of local assistance funding remaining for the CURRENT fiscal year. That was to be the maximum recommendation pending official direction from the Department of Budget, so no contracts were issued following that meeting. The Big Deficit Reduction Picture: The State Legislature passed a $2.8 billion mid-year deficit reduction plan on Wednesday. The Governor, however, says the gap is more than $3.2 billion, indicating that the Legislature fell far short of addressing the full deficit, while the Comptroller DiNapoli estimates the gap at $4 billion. And conventional wisdom says that in a few months the gap will be even bigger...perhaps $6 to $9 billion. In addition, the Governor is threatening to delay payments to schools, hospitals, and municipalities to ensure that the State does not run out of money. Remember this is all about the CURRENT budget. The Governor will be presenting his budget for 2010-11 in about a month. So prepare for a very, very tough 2010-11 budget fight for the State Arts Council! We will ALL need to be in Albany for Arts Day on February 2, 2010. Numbers really do matter. Mark your calendar now. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations Budget Alert: CURRENT BUDGET: Fiscal Year 2009 November 9, 2009 The Governor has called the Legislature to Albany on Tuesday, November 10, although word has it that he is addressing a joint session today, Monday, November 9. Fixing the budget is the top priority. The state is in a fiscal crisis and will run out of money. Revenues are down about 20 percent and expenses are rising. Word has it that the Legislature must cut $3.2 billion from the state’s operating budget by the end of the current fiscal year....or next year’s deficit could reach $10 billion. The Governor is proposing that most agencies would lose 11 percent of whatever they expected to get over the next five months, except for education financing, which would drop 5 percent. What does this mean for NYSCA? The final Council meeting for the current fiscal year took place on October 28th, at which time the council proceeded to make formal Grant recommendations in the amount of $6,562,592. This will be the maximum recommendation pending official direction from the Department of Budget regarding possible cuts in this current fiscal year. Therefore, no contracts will be issued until this is resolved. You may recall that in this funding year, NYSCA very wisely reduced the number of Council meetings from 4 to 3, thereby reducing the exposure of local assistance grants that are funded later in the cycle. The funding available for the final October cycle could be reduced by by $612,000, given the proposed reduction to NYSCA in the Governor’s plan. Bottom line: those groups in the third cycle may receive less funding. So the time is now. Send email to your legislators. Start setting up appointments NOW to meet with your legislators at home. Discuss the impact of the arts in your community. You know the drill: letters, brochures, stories that tug at the heart and at the economic epicenter of our communities. Find your legislator’s contact information here. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations NEA FUNDING INCREASED by $12.5 million to reach $167 million November 9, 2009 Congress passed a $12.5 million funding increase as part of the FY 2010 Interior Appropriations bill for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). President Obama signed this bill into law October 31. The two federal grant making cultural agencies will now each have budgets of $167.5 million, their highest funding levels in 16 years. From NYS ARTS: The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations ARTISTS AND NET NEUTRALITY November 9, 2009 There was a Jon Stewart segment that aired in late October where Stewart lampooned politicians who have come out against Net Neutrality, including Sen. John McCain, who introduced a bill that would derail the FCC’s proposed Net Neutrality rules. But why is Net Neutrality important to New York State artists? Some of you may have seen Future of Music Coalition’s net neutrality presentation at the 2009 NYS ARTS Summit in Schenectady. If not, here’s background info. Net neutrality is the principle that protects the open internet. It gives all artists the ability to compete on an equal technological playing field as the biggest companies. It’s also how the internet was designed. But a handful of telecommunications and cable companies want to start charging content providers (like artists) a higher fee for the faster delivery of their sites and services. Those who couldn’t afford to—or didn’t want to—pay a “toll” to their Internet Service Provider could get stuck in the slow lane of the information superhighway while better-funded enterprises enjoy preferential treatment. This would be devastating to today’s artists, who use the internet to promote, sell and distribute their work. That’s why it’s important to make your voice heard on this issue. The FCC recently opened a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that is the first step in codifying net neutrality at the federal level. They need to hear from the public, especially artists and creators. Visit the FCC’s OpenInternet.gov to join the discussion and make your voice heard. If you want more information about Net Neutrality, check out the Future of Music Coalition. From Sara Ogger, Ph.D., Executive Director NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES Advocacy Alert: Urge Congress to Support the Humanities! October 1, 2009 We have an historic opportunity to secure increased funding for humanities programs in New York State. The House of Representatives and Senate have each passed appropriations bills that increase funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, a major source of our funding. Those bills are in a conference committee now to resolve the difference between the appropriations. We are asking that you contact Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to urge them to support THE HIGHER FUNDING PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE VERSION. It’s an easy process: Click on this link for the Senate, fill in the blanks (literally), then hit the Send button. For even more impact, personalize your letter by describing the impact of humanities grants and programs in your community. And, if you are really on a roll, go ahead and contact your House representative and urge him/her to stand by their numbers! Time is of the essence—the bills are being reconciled now. Make sure NY legislators hear your voice in support of the humanities! Thank you for your support. From Sara Ogger, Ph.D., Executive Director NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES Advocacy Alert: Please Act Now! September 8, 2009 Humanities supporters across the nation have a unique opportunity to help make history. The House has proposed an unprecedented increase in humanities funding, allocating $170 million for the NEH, of which $41 million is dedicated to the federal/state partnership that provides core funding to the 56 state humanities councils. In the face of the lower level proposed by the Senate, we need the House to defend its numbers. How can we achieve this? By mobilizing as many constituents as possible to write to their Congressional representatives and communicate how this increase directly impacts our communities. The Federation of State Humanities Councils has provided a template letter, available at www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=FSHC&hotissue=6 in which you can encourage your Congressperson to contact Representatives Dicks and Simpson of the House subcommittee and urge them to retain the House numbers in conference. The Federation has populated most of the letter and included a box in which to tell your story about why the humanities matter to you and the impact they have on your community. Below is some sample language you may use to guide your writing: The Environment and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill HR 2996 would provide vital support in the state of New York, where the New York Council for the Humanities serves over one million citizens a year for less than $2.50 a head. By offering informative and stimulating content through humanities lectures, reading and discussion groups, and in-class curriculum enhancement, the Council’s signature programs and grants invite teachers, high school students, AmeriCorps members, and young children and families to take part in the practices of critical inquiry, cultural literacy, and civic engagement. [Describe your program activities or events sponsored by the Council and how they benefit your community]. Please submit your letters via the Federation website above ASAP to urge your Congressional representatives to stand by the proposed increase. Thank you for your support—your efforts help to ensure that the humanities are a top priority among our national representatives, as they are for us. Message from Kate Koperski, Director, Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University “It was great to see the folk arts community come out in force on Arts Day! Following the joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly Arts Committees, over 128 people attended a Folk Arts reception sponsored by the New York Folklore Society and co-hosted by Senator Hugh Farley (44th Senate District, Republican) and Assemblyman John McEneny (104th Assembly District, Democrat).
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