Cultural, arts funding vital to economic development
LYNN MARINELLI Legislature Chairperson
Among the non-mandated services funded in the Erie County budget are arts and cultural organizations. As the County Legislature works to improve our financial situation and add to our quality of life, cultural funding is a major agenda item. The 2007 budget, as amended by the Legislature, allocates $5,362,976 for 34 organizations.

The arts and cultural organizations, which employ hundreds of people and generate millions of dollars in business and taxes, have had to work under the uncertainty of if and/or how much funding they will receive each year. I have been a strong advocate of cultural and arts organization funding, as well as cultural tourism, for many years, and the recently proposed plan to commit to 3 percent of the property tax levy to steady state funding of the cultural and arts organizations is a good start.

I have supported dedicated funding for our cultural and arts organizations for years, including when I was a member of the staff of the late Assemblyman William Hoyt and worked on a proposal for the sharing of a portion of the sales tax to be dedicated to the cultural organizations.

Cultural tourism can be a key component of improving Erie County's economy and is very important to economic development. The county has cultural gems such at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Buffalo Zoo, the Frederick Law Olmsted Parks system, the Darwin Martin House, Shea's Performing Arts Center and wonderful architecture and destinations. These facilities attract people who patronize restaurants, hotels, sporting events and other businesses.

It is incumbent on the County Legislature, as the fiscal house in county government, to make prudent funding decisions and to continue our progress in reforming fiscal practices and how Erie County conducts its business. Dedicating this funding for the cultural and arts organizations is a way to make a positive, important investment in our community that will result in increased tax revenues, more businesses and jobs being created and an improved reputation for Erie County to both our residents and to visitors.

I am pleased to report that the updated and improved Erie County Charter is now available at www.erie.gov/laws/eccode/. The county is awaiting bids on a new publication of the Erie County Charter, Code and Miscellaneous Local Laws. I will keep readers informed on the progress of the new publication of the charter and documents, which I fought hard to update in order to improve the functions of the county. The reforms were overwhelmingly approved by the County Legislature last year and then approved by more than 70 percent of the voters in November.

As always, your opinions are important to me. Call me at 832-0483 or e-mail Marinelli@erie.gov.