Arizona: The joint
legislative budget committee has recommended eliminating the Arizona
Arts Commission and its $5.1 million annual budget. Another $7
million, the principal in a state endowment fund for the arts, would
be removed, leaving the endowment at zero. The governor proposes
funding the arts commission at last year's level and retaining the
endowment principal.
California: Arts funding was
slashed from $30.7 million to $20 million last year. The proposal for
next year is $11.5 million.
Colorado: State arts support, the
lowest in the nation, was reduced from $2 million in 2001 to $963,863
last year. The legislature's joint budget committee in late March
voted to eliminate arts funding for 2003-04. This would also cancel
$613,600 in federal matching funds.
Massachusetts: Arts funding was
cut 62 percent last year, to $7.3 million. Gov. Mitt Romney proposes
keeping funding at that level.
Minnesota: Gov. Tim Pawlenty cut
$384,000 out of this year's state arts board budget of $12.7 million.
Pawlenty proposes cutting the 2003-04 arts budget to $7.6
million.
Missouri: In 2002, the Missouri
Arts Council budget was cut by $2 million to $3.9 million. The house
budget committee recommends $953,000 for the arts in 2003-04 to
qualify for National Endowment for the Arts matching funds. The
committee also is considering taking principal funds from the
cultural trust.
New Jersey: In February, Gov.
James McGreevey proposed eliminating all $43 million in arts funding,
including $18 million for the state arts council. In late March, his
office reported that he is prepared to restore half the arts
council's budget.
Ohio: The house recommended a
decrease in arts funding from $31.2 million to $24.5 million. The
senate took up the issue this week.
Oregon: The legislature has frozen
unspent arts funds for the 2002-03 fiscal year ending in June and is
considering eliminating the $2.4 million that was to be spent
duringthe next two fiscal years.
Pennsylvania: Gov. Ed Rendell has
threatened to veto the entire 2003-04 state budget unless the
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts receives $14 million, the same as
last year.
Rhode Island: Proposals involve a
cut of $180,000 off the current year's $2.3 million arts
budget.
Washington: Gov. Gary Locke
proposes cutting the state arts commission budget from $5.6 million
to $3.4 million.