5). Restore the City of LA’s Department of Cultural Affairs grant program to an amount equivalent to1% of the Transient Occupancy Tax, while maintaining adequate funding for department operations.*

Background: In 2004, in an effort to save the Department of Cultural Affairs from total elimination, the City Council diverted half the TOT allocation to the general operating budget.  This effectively reduced the grants budget from close to 8 million to just under 4 million. As the City of LA embarks on its new cultural master plan, restoring the full allocation of the TOT to the grants program is a step towards a larger goal of moving government funding to 10% of the aggregate operating budgets of local nonprofits.

6.) Articulate and publicly disseminate policy positions on arts education and arts funding.

Background: This has zero costs associated with it. But could have significant impact.  As we have seen at the national level, by including arts and arts education positions we are 1.) ensuring that elected officials are informed about the importance of the arts and arts education and 2.) can articulate why they are valuable. By doing so, we feel they will deepen their commitment to ensuring that every resident in their prospective district will have access to meaningful arts experiences. 

7.) Release and apply collected Quimby Fees as required by law.

Background: The City of LA has an ordinance that says, when you build dense projects, you have to kick money into a fund to pay for open source and parks project. But the department hasn’t been spending the money and there isn’t an allocation plan.  We want to advocate to spending that money, an allocation and the inclusion of public and environmental art.