20% of hotel tax still being funneled to "arts"
Hotel tax provides lucrative backing for arts - Houston Chronicle
[T]here is one area where arts and commerce converge that gets far less exposure than grants and exhibitions. And it's one that Ortale and the convention and visitors bureau are currently bringing to Houston's attention. This past week, they launched a local awareness campaign to highlight the little-known, but hugely significant, fact that 19.3 percent of the hotel tax, which constitutes 7 percent of the cost of a room, goes to support the arts in Houston.
Minnette Boesel, Mayor Annise Parker's assistant for cultural affairs, told the Chronicle that for fiscal year 2011, the local arts' share of that tax was $11 million. Almost 40 percent of that went to the Houston Arts Alliance, for grants and programs for about 250 organizations and individuals, with the rest going to the Theater District and Museum District associations and the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.
That's an impressive chunk of change. But as Ortale told the Chronicle, "Our biggest problem has been a lack of awareness. People remember the Houston of 20, 30 years ago. They don't know this Houston - vibrant and green and leading the country in clean energy consumption …
Where to start with this editorial that ran last weekend?
First, it's worth keeping in mind that yes, a whopping 19.3% of the hotel tax is directed to luxuries. Whatever one's opinion of the arts, a government that can direct roughly 20% of a revenue source to nonessential activities is a government that is not as strapped as "sky is falling!" pols and bureaucrats would have you believe. Definitely keep that in mind next time they are crying over the next fiscal calamity.
Second, what in the world do "green" and "clean energy" have to do with the arts, or this significant allocation of tax resources? Nothing. It's a non-sequitur.
Third, my blogging colleague Anne Linehan reminds me of what a fine steward of tax dollars the Houston Arts Alliance has been.
Finally, Tom Bazan took up this topic over at his My Houston News site, Boondoggles (inexplicably, the pseudo-blogs over there do not seem to allow hyperlinks).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/13/11 09:01 PM | Print |
Previous Entry | Home | Next Entry
ADVERTISING
DISCLAIMER
All content © 2004-09, blogHOUSTON and the respective authors.
blogHOUSTON.net is powered by Nucleus.
Site design and Nucleus customization are by Kevin Whited.