Free up city funding by using arts dollars

Published 4:34 pm Tuesday, May 5, 2009

When one reads about teaching job cuts in a down economy one begins to realize that planners everywhere will trim essential services in place of non-essential ones. In these difficult times funding for the arts needs to be closely examined.

Arts funding has historically been engaged in by private parties, not governmental agencies. Art is a subjective luxury and should not be paid for through taxation.

How many police, firefighting and other necessary personnel have not been hired because money was spent placing an ugly piece of metal in a park or in front of a municipal building?

I ask Kent Schools Superintendent Barbara Grohe how many teaching jobs could be saved if the City of Kent would free up funds wasted by its Arts Commission?

John Kohler

Kent