Viva 4Culture!

What a night for advocates! We hope you were able to join us on Tuesday night at the Paramount Theatre for a terrific line-up of performances and accolades to and from political leaders we've come to know (and love)! If you want to live it all over or couldn't attend, check out some of great stories here and here about Party Like It's 5834.

Executive Dow Constantine, Senator White, Senator Murray, Representative Hunter, Representative Chopp, former Representative Louise Miller, and Councilmember Phillips were all there to soak up the love from the arts and heritage communities for helping pass our beloved ESSB 5834. 

The best part for us advocates was seeing and hearing nearly 1000 people CLAP, SHOUT and YELL thanks to YOU! Advocate4Culture was a force in this fight. Our voice was as loud as those West African drums that made our hearts pound. 

Individually may not have been on stage, but trust us advocates, you matter and you will be re-elected. Viva 4Culture!

Party Like It's 5834!

ESSB 5834, a bill that provides a future for 4Culture and the arts and heritage communities of King County was signed into law by Governor Gregoire on June 15, 2011.

It’s time to celebrate!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
7:00 – 9:30 P.M.
Paramount Theatre
911 Pine Street, Seattle WA 98101

4Culture, Seattle Theatre Group, and Advocate4Culture welcome you to a free celebration to thank the elected officials and citizens who worked to secure future funding for our region’s cultural programs. Enjoy light refreshments and the company of the many people who make our region strong and vibrant.

Featuring performances by: The Cabiri Performance Troupe; Correo Aereo; Paul Kikuchi; Quinton I. Morris; Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders; Slwan Logman  & Hamda Yusuf of Chief Sealth International Poetry Club; Seattle SeaChordsmen; Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra
Contrasts Ensemble; Somewhere in Time, Unlimited; and Abdoulaye Sylla & Fotoba

RSVP: Please reserve your free ticket(s) by emailing here by June 22.

Time to Celebrate!

Image: Maggie T

ESSB 5834, the legislation that will secure funding for 4Culture and fuel the arts and heritage communities of King County is scheduled to be signed into law next week!  A community celebration is in the works and you're invited!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 7:00 – 9:30 P.M.

Paramount Theater, 911 Pine Street, Seattle WA 98101

Join us in thanking the elected officials and citizens (aka YOU) who worked to secure a future for our region’s cultural programs and communities. Refreshments will be served.

Information about how to RSVP, the entertainment lineup, and more detail will be coming soon. Stay tuned!

Vote will happen Thursday - we need you now

Things move fast. We need you to help again - right now.

Our efforts yesterday were successful. SB 5958 has passed out of committee and is headed to the Senate floor for a full vote tomorrow, Thursday May 19. We are now in the final phases, and every step counts and needs YOUR help to succeed.

This vote is absolutely crucial in our efforts to save 4Culture. We're asking you to do two things:

1. Call your Senator's office and urge them to vote YES on SB 5958. You can find your Senator here

2. Email the whole Senate and urge a YES vote.

You can copy this whole field into a BCC line:

michael.baumgartner@leg.wa.gov, jeff.baxter@leg.wa.gov, randi.becker@leg.wa.gov, don.benton@leg.wa.gov, lisa.brown@leg.wa.gov, michael.carrell@leg.wa.gov, maralyn.chase@leg.wa.gov, steve.conway@leg.wa.gov, jerome.delvin@leg.wa.gov, tracey.eide@leg.wa.gov, doug.ericksen@leg.wa.gov, joe.fain@leg.wa.gov, karen.fraser@leg.wa.gov, jim.hargrove@leg.wa.gov, nick.harper@leg.wa.gov, brian.hatfield@leg.wa.gov, marymargaret.haugen@leg.wa.gov, mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov, andy.hill@leg.wa.gov, steve.hobbs@leg.wa.gov, janea.holmquistnewbry@leg.wa.gov, jim.honeyford@leg.wa.gov, jim.kastama@leg.wa.gov, karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov, derek.kilmer@leg.wa.gov, curtis.king@leg.wa.gov, adam.kline@leg.wa.gov, jeanne.kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov, steve.litzow@leg.wa.gov, rosemary.mcauliffe@leg.wa.gov, bob.morton@leg.wa.gov, edward.murray@leg.wa.gov, sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov, linda.parlette@leg.wa.gov, cheryl.pflug@leg.wa.gov, margarita.prentice@leg.wa.gov, craig.pridemore@leg.wa.gov, kevin.ranker@leg.wa.gov, debbie.regala@leg.wa.gov, pam.roach@leg.wa.gov, phil.rockefeller@leg.wa.gov, mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov, timothy.sheldon@leg.wa.gov, paull.shin@leg.wa.gov, val.stevens@leg.wa.gov, dan.swecker@leg.wa.gov, rodney.tom@leg.wa.gov, scott.white@leg.wa.gov, joseph.zarelli@leg.wa.gov

Here's a sample subject line: Please vote YES on SB 5958.

Here's sample text:

"Dear Senator,

Please vote yes on SB 5958.

SB 5958 is sound economic policy. It taxes tourism-related businesses in King County, and provides investments for activities that drive tourism, including thousands of jobs in arts and culture and construction.

The cultural attraction investments continued by SB 5958 are already proven to increase tourism and hospitality jobs. That’s why the hotel and restaurant industries support this bill. That’s why this bill makes sense for our community.

Failure to pass SB 5958 will cost jobs in the short term and stunt our economic competitiveness and growth in the long term. We must take action to renew this profitable investment in our economy. This is why SB 5958."

Thank you for your time on this. When we win this vote, we will need to pass this bill through the House again, so stay alert for that push.

All best, from all of us to all of you. You are winning.

Advocate4Culture Coalition

Contact your Senator!

Hey advocates we have a ton of crazy stuff going on in Olympia. We are very lucky to have two rockin' bills that will save 4Culture. 

What can you do to be part of saving 4Culture? 

1.  ATTEND a public hearing this Tuesday, May 17th at 1:30 pm in support of the hot new SB 5958, sponsored by Senator Scott White. This hearing will be held in the Cherburg Building. If you need a ride, contact us.

2.  CONTACT your Senator! Our old friend SSB 5834, is back in play and it's on the Senate floor. They've adjourned until 10 am Monday, May 16th, which gives you the whole weekend to let your Senator know "VOTE YES ON SSB 5834 and SB 5958!"

3.  SPREAD the word to other arts and heritage advocates. Make sure they've contacted their senator too.

We're sooooo close to saving 4Culture, an amazing resource for the cultural community and citizens of King County. Please help! You can find your Senator HERE. 

New bill in the special session

Yesterday there was a bit of a flurry of news that a NEW bill was introduced to support 4Culture. According to the legislative hotline, that proposed legislation was not officially introduced so it is not yet considered a bill.

Some have been asking "Hey, why isn't Advocate4Culture talking about this?" Well, It is important for us that we don't get our advocates running down the wrong path, so we're a little slower than some might like. We check information, research and check it again - and then post.

Have no fear, when we need advocates to get back to work to save arts and heritage in King County, we'll be all over it. We will be updated this blog this week with more news.

Back from the dead: SHB 1997 lives again!

Legislation that can save 4Culture and its support of arts and heritage in King County is still being considered in Olympia, during the 2011 Special Session.


On April 26th SHB 1997, "by resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status" in the House of Representatives.


There will not be any public hearings, but as we've mentioned before, we may well need advocates to speak up once again to their legislators and fellow advocates to let them know that this is it - our last chance to save our most valuable funding resource for culture in King County. Get ready - it's comin'!

Its beginning to look a lot like special session

We know many advocates have been wondering What is happening to the legislation that supports funding for 4Culture? Don't lose hope, there is still an opportunity for 4Culture to be saved. 


The 2011 legislative session is set to end this Sunday, April 24th, but most folks, including Governor Gregoire, think they won't finish by that date and will have to go into special session. 


It seems likely that legislators will opt to wrap up a bit of business this Friday and take a break this weekend. Hopefully, they will come back refreshed and ready to revisit SHB 1997 and SSB 5834. This will be their last chance to save funding for arts and heritage in King County. 


For those interested in how the special session works, check out one of our favorite blogs, Many Words for Rain. 


Stay tuned, stay positive and be ready to advocate in the next 30 days!

Fight back!

Legislators in Olympia are working hard to keep working on bills that would save 4Culture. We will keep you posted as we know more, but it looks like one or both of our bills are being revived through the current budget! Yay! But meanwhile, uninformed folks are flooding the media streams and comment threads with anti-art, anti-job, anti-King County messages that could threaten to turn political will against us.

Please take action in the next day or so to turn the comment threads around. Here are four articles [The Seattle Times,  The News Tribune, The Seattle PI and Crosscut], please craft a super short, cogent, pro-art, pro-legislation, pro-job creation, pro-economic stimulus message and post it. Some suggestions are below... but make them personal and to the point. you don't have to say everything. Just say something true and from the heart.

Some examples:

"saying these are "stadium taxes" is misleading,these taxes are primarily on visitors, and were formerly used to pay for stadiums, but the new use would be job creation and tourism promotion, not stadiums. A worthy investment in these tough times."

"This article is inaccurate... not all the taxes outlined in 1997 are set to expire. For example, lodging taxes don't expire - they're ongoing, it's just their current project (the stadiums) are about to be paid off and the legislature gets to decide what to do with them next.  I think this is a smart plan -- allow them to continue to fund art, heritage, tourism activities and the like."

"These are tourist taxes collected in King County and should be used for things that bring in more tourism and grow this industry in the County and the State. Arts, heritage, and tourism promotion and a convention center expansion have a strong nexus."

"This legislation deserves to be heard. These taxes, collected in King County, will be invested in programs that will impact a wide and diverse array of people throughout King County. We need the jobs in this state that would come from this legislation..."

"I think the activities supported in HB 1997 are a great idea. Smart thinking! We need these tax investments to get our economy growing again."

"Blah blah blah - "locals pay for restaurants too"... yeah... I'm sure that extra nickle on your $10 lunch really hurts."

"I am proud to be part of the cultural community that would create jobs and tourism/arts activities because of the programs outlined in HB 1997. Arguments that you don't use these services don't hold up.  I don't have kids but I pay for your kid's schools. This is how a civilized society works. We help each other out. We do things that support the greater good. We're raising the quality of life here for all. We're drawing tourists to spend their money here, that will fill the tax coffers for the whole state."

The Washington State Legislature civics lesson continues

Yesterday was the cutoff date for the House and Senate to agree to move bills out of committee.

The House Ways & Means Committee did not act yesterday on Substitute Senate Bill 5834 (SSB 5834) that would have permitted King County to continue directing an existing portion of local lodging taxes to programs for arts and heritage via 4Culture.  So SSB 5834 died yesterday in committee.

The Senate Ways & Means Committee voted by roll call yesterday on Substitute House Bill 1997 (SHB 1997) that would have provided economic development in King County by funding tourism promotion, workforce housing, art and heritage programs (via 4Culture) and community development. With 22 committee members, a bill must receive 12 yes signatures to pass the committee. SHB 1997 received 11 yes signatures and 9 no signatures yesterday. Two committee members, Senators Hatfield and Tom, were absent. Without the necessary 12 signatures, SHB 1997 died yesterday in committee.

SSB 5834 and SHB 1997 are not the only avenues for working with the Legislature to secure the future of 4Culture funding. State and County elected officials are already working with 4Culture staff, board and champions to determine the next best steps. While these bills may have "died" in committee yesterday, there are scenarios where they could be resurrected, and their provisions are still very much alive, including future funding for 4Culture.

While it is frustrating to have come so close to getting SHB 1997 out of committee, the advocacy actions by King County's cultural community have not been in vain. It is unlikely the bill would have even had a chance to pass the committee without our advocacy. Legislators and their staffs have stated on multiple occasions that the timely, strategic and high-volume actions of the arts and heritage community. No one in Olympia is questioning the commitment and political will of our community to ensure 4Culture's future.

Thank you for everything you have done to act on that commitment, and for being ready and willing to do it again as soon as next steps are clear.

Good work advocates!

You showed up and we're so proud! There were more than 100 people at Wednesday's public hearing for SHB 1997 - possibly the best attended hearing we've ever had for an arts/heritage bill. United in their support of the bill were representatives from labor, low income housing, construction unions, restaurant and hotel associations, current and former politicians (Republican and Democrat alike), and dozens of arts supporters (touting their yellow scarves). The overwhelmingly positive testimony lasted over an hour, and was gracefully chaired by a major arts and heritage champion Ed Murray. Only a few people were in opposition to the bill, and all three that testified against the bill were representing car rental companies.

So what's next for SHB 1997?

1) Today was the last public hearing for the bill. Now the bill goes to Executive Session where the Ways and Means committee will vote. If your Senator is on the Ways and Means Committee, please write them today to urge their support when the bill is considered in Executive Session.

2) If the bill is voted on favorably in this Executive Session it will move to a full Senate vote on the floor. This is a big deal, every Senator in the state will get to vote on the issue.

3) If the bill is voted on favorably on the floor, any amendments that are made to the bill in the Senate, would need to be approved by the House of Representatives during a process called "reconciliation".

4) Finally, the bill will go to Governor Gregoire for signing.

Work is not done, but the heavy lifting of advocates having to make their way to Olympia for hearings is complete. Thanks to all who came to this or other hearings in the process. Letter writing/phone calling and communication with your legislators is still appreciated.

It ain't over till it's over, but we have a lot to be proud of so far!

This is It!

Advocates, we need you as much as ever. Our LAST PUBLIC HEARING (woo hoo!) is scheduled and we need everyone and anyone to show up, sign in and be present. This is the most important action you can take to help save arts and heritage funding. If this is a basketball game, we're in the last 5 minutes, and the hometown crowd needs to jump to it's feet. This is our last chance to show up en mass and show our legislators who's lives/economies/communities/jobs they're dealing with.

Senate Ways & Means hearing on SHB 1997

THIS Wednesday,  03/30/11,  1:30 pm 

J.A. Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Rm 4 - Olympia

Driving? Click Here for Directions & Parking

Plan to arrive in Olympia around 1:15 to sign in. We don't know yet where we are on agenda, so plan to stay as late as 5pm if possible (if you have to leave early, that's okay though... signing in is a great help).

Need a ride? Email us at advocate4culture@gmail.com

We'll be leaving the Pioneer Square neighborhood (in Seattle) around 11:30 a.m. and hope to be back no later than 6:30 p.m. BE THERE!

If you cannot attend, please write or call the members of the committee hearing the bill and urge them to support SHB 1997. They will likely vote on it in the next few days. The clock is ticking! Save arts and heritage in King County TODAY! 

No news just may be good news

SHB 1997 is waiting to be considered by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means Committee and SSB 5834 is awaiting a vote in the House Committee on Ways and Means. We will of course let you know if things start looking really good or really bad.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN THE MEANTIME?

1) Keep the pressure on our legislators, so they vote favorably for these bills, each time they have an opportunity to do so. If you haven't lately (or ever) please write, call and send emails, and attend meetings or town hall events or parties for them and urge them to keep arts and heritage in King County alive by voting YEA for SSB 5834 and SHB 1997.

2) Let's educate ourselves on the issues in and around these two bills so we can write and respond to legislators, friends, and the media with confidence.

3) Let's respond to incorrect, negative media by commenting on blogs, writing letters to the editor and calling in to radio programs. We need to dispel myths about these bills and about who we are. Take down the stereotypes of lazy, livin-on-the-dole artists, reprogram the notion that the only people that care about history and preservation are retired people with nothing better to do. Lets remind legislators and the public that we are tax paying, home-owning, grocery-buying, citizens that spend much of our days working very hard to draw tourists to our region and make our communities stronger.

There have been some negative pushes in the press lately that are simply not true. We will try to attack these with facts. If you don't feel confident... read up, or simply write or call in response of the arts and heritage component of the bill and speak from the heart. You don't have to know everything. All you have to know is how you feel about 4Cutlure getting supported and passed THIS YEAR. It doesn't have to be much. Just "I actually thing SHB 1997 is a great idea and it's important to me."

We will post an FAQ in the next day or two with some of the common misconceptions and negative talking points in the press and how we suggest countering them. Until then... assume no news is good news.

Stay active and we’ll keep you posted on the latest!

Join us in Olympia for a public hearing this Monday!

Arts and Heritage advocates are needed this to sign up and/or testify in support of SSB 5834. This public hearing is a great opportunity to let our Representatives know that why culture is so valuable to King County, and how it serves as an economic engine for all of Washington State. 

Join us in Olympia!

• WHEN: Monday, March 14th at 3:30 pm
• WHERE: Ways & Means Committee, John L. O'Brien Building, House Hearing Room A
• GETTING THERE: Contact us, we can give you a ride.

Sponsored by Senators Murray, Litzow, McAuliffe, Nelson, Hill, White, Kohl-Welles, Fain and Eide, SSB 5834 enables "Permitting counties to direct an existing portion of local lodging taxes to programs for arts and heritage." 

Change of Plans: Attend Town Hall Meetings this Saturday!

We just contacted Jim Kelly, Executive Director at 4Culture to find out the latest with SHB 1997. He told us that the bill is being moved from the Economic Development, Trade and Innovation Committee to Senate Ways and Means Committee. We think this is great news as we have more support for arts and heritage among members of Ways and Means. 

WHAT CAN WE DO NOW TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD?

1. ATTEND one of the many Town Hall Meetings hosted by your legislators this weekend - March 12th. Two of the most critical legislators for our bills, Speaker Frank Chopp and Senator Ed Murray, will be hosting a Town Hall on Capitol Hill at 2:00pm [click here for details]. This is a great opportunity for advocates to ask them to come to an agreement on the best way to save arts and heritage in King County. Even if they don't represent your district, lets pack the house!
2. WRITE your legislators, even if you have already, and urge them to support SHB 1997 and SSB 5834, which both secure the future of 4Culture. 
3. WATCH this blog for updates about public hearings that will scheduled for these bills. We will need advocates to join us in Olympia. We can offer rides.

Check out these tips on contacting your legislators. Below are a few interesting facts to keep in mind as well:

• SHB 1997 and SSB 5834 provide economic development, jobs, and support tourism related activities, which draw visitors to all of Washington State and benefit all of it's residents. 
• Culture is an economic driver. A recent study shows arts and culture generate $1.75 billion dollars in revenue for Washington businesses. 
• We need to save 4Culture this year or we have a 90% cut in funding that will amount to the agency shutting it's doors and an end of support.
• Regarding the reticence of senators to pass SHB 1997 - these taxes were planned and plotted during some of the most flush years our state has ever seen. We know they were scheduled to end, but we are now in the deepest recession our state has seen and could use some innovation and stimulation to create jobs and get us out of this mess.

Thanks all!

Arts and Heritage Advocates Statewide are Needed - Reach Out!

Can SHB 1997 make it out of the senate committee of economic development, trade and innovation? Honestly, we don't know. Last year, we were in this same position - a bill passed in the Senate, and another in the House, bills that did not match up. Both bills died.

We need state legislators to work together and come up with a plan that will save 4Culture!
What can we do? Do our best to support the upcoming hearing for SHB 1997.

SHB 1997 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Economic Development and Trade & Innovation Committee on Thursday, March 10th at 1:30 PM. The committee is mostly non-King County senators. There is speculation that senators are likely to vote down any bills that are seen as extending taxes of any kind.  It is critical that we reach out to this committee about why this legislation must be passed this session.  
Talking points (what we should start getting adamant or even angry about):

• SHB 1997 provides economic development and supports tourism related activities that will draw visitors to all of Washington State. Plus the projects outlined in the bill will not only stimulate our economy but also retain and create jobs for citizens in and out of King County.
• We need to save 4Culture this year or we have a 90% cut in funding that will amount to the agency shutting it's doors and an end of support.
• Regarding the reticence of senators to pass SHB 1997 - these taxes were planned and plotted during some of the most flush years our state has ever seen. We know they were scheduled to end, but we are now in the deepest recession our state has seen and could use some innovation and stimulation to create jobs and get us out of this mess.
• The temporary re-authorization of the restaurant tax (which by the way, only amounts to a $0.25 tax on a $50 meal) is supported by key leaders in the restaurant and tourism industry. Why? because it will create possibly thousands of jobs in the region as we build and then maintain an expanded convention center. And because with the expanded convention center, we can attract more tourists, who will stay in hotels and eat in restaurants and pour money into our state coffers to pay for other services we need.
• Re Housing: hmmm... maybe this could be built for the minimum-wage earning work force (artists, custodians, servers, managers, bartenders, and service people) who make this tourism industry plausible.

We don't know why this bill didn't go straight to ways and means, but we face a HUGE hurdle getting this bill to pass this Senate committee. Please act. Please write and call your senators. Please go to the town halls in your area this weekend and speak up for SHB 1997. This is go go go time, if there ever was one.
If you are a resident of any of the areas listed below, or know arts and heritage advocates who are, we urge you to contact these Senators [contact info here], who serve on the Economic Development and Trade & Innovation Committee, and ask for their support of SHB 1997!  Otherwise, please write your own Senator and ask them to pull whatever strings they have to see that this bill is passed. It is a time to call in favors.

The message is simple, these legislators voted positively for SSB 5834 so you can THANK THEM for their recent support of SSB 5834 and let them know, that SHB 1997 deserves their support too.

• Jim Kastama (D) District 25, Puyallup (CHAIR)
• Maralyn Chase (D) District 32, Edmonds, Kenmore, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park (VICE CHAIR)
• Brian Hatfield (D) District 19, Wahkiakum, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Cowlitz Counties, Longview, Westport
• Janea Holmquist Newbry  (R) District 13, Ellensburg, Yakima, Moses Lake area
• Derek Kilmer (D) District 26, Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, Bremerton, Fox Island 
• Paull Shin (D) District 21, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Everett
• Joseph Zarelli (R) District 18, Clark County 

These two Senators on the committee voted against SSB 5834. If this is your legislator, please write them and say you are disappointed they voted against SSB 5834, but that they can right the wrong by supporting SHB 1997:

Michael Baumgartner (R) District 6, Spokane area (RANKING MINORITY LEADER)
Doug Ericksen (R) District 42, Whatcom County 

What a great week!

HB 1997 and SB 5834 both had a public hearings this week, with tremendous support on behalf of key leadership and key testimony from many advocates.  Representative Ross Hunter specifically cited the public testimony in recommending a "yes" vote to the House Ways & Means Committee.  So thanks to all who came down to Olympia or wrote your reps.

This afternoon we received the great news that BOTH bills passed out of their respective Committees with a "do pass". They will now go to their respective Rules Committees to be scheduled for a Floor Vote.

Power to the people!

If either bill gets a positive floor vote in their own house, they will then have to start the process from the beginning in the opposite chamber.   At that point, we will expect additional hearings.  So keep your eyes peeled and your zip cars at the ready for another trip to the state capitol.

We're not done yet, but this is an excellent week's work! Well done, everyone.

Critical Week for 4Culture!

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TODAY TO MAKE AN IMPACT:

1. CALL OR EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATORS

Ask your Representatives to VOTE YES and support HB 1997 and your Senator to support SB 5834. Tell them why arts and heritage in King County matters to you. CLICK HERE to find their contact information.

2. ATTEND A HEARING
Your attendance at a hearing makes the greatest positive impact. All you have to do is sign in in support. 
Email us by Monday at 4pm if you want a ride. Here are driving directions and a campus map. 

• House Bill 1997 is scheduled for a hearing this Tuesday, February 22nd at 1:30 pm in the John O'Brien Building,  Hearing Room A; and 
• Senate Bill 5834 is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, February 23rd at 1:30 pm in the Cherberg Building, Hearing Room 4. 

3. SPREAD THE WORD

Tweet, blog, Facebook, email and shout from the rooftops. Get fellow advocates to join in the fight. 

WHAT DO I SAY? HERE'S A SUGGESTION:

Dear Representative _______,

Please support HB1997, King County's Economic Development bill that includes 4Culture. Arts & Culture are an important part of King County's plan to create jobs and improve our economy by bringing more visitors and tourism spending to King County communities. Additionally, I personally value 4Culture because _____________.

Sincerely,

_____________

Dear Senator _______,

Please support SB 5834, a bill that supports 4Culture. Arts & Culture are an important part of King County. Arts and heritage creates jobs and improves our economy by bringing more visitors and tourism spending to King County communities. Additionally, I personally value 4Culture because _____________.

Sincerely,

_____________

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• 4Culture's blog post on HB 1997 
• King County’s press release on HB  1997

Advocates: Now is the time to act!

The moment we've all been waiting for is here! King County's Economic Development bill just dropped in the House today. According to 4Culture's blog post on the subject, HB 1997 would secure a solid future for 4Culture’s arts, heritage, and preservation funding programs.

Advocates in Olympia

"HB 1997, was drafted by King County leadership in conversation with key support from key legislative champions in the House and Senate. The lead sponsor is Representative Orwall. The bill proposes to secure existing visitor taxes and direct them toward economic development activities: arts & heritage, tourism-related facilities, such as the convention center, community development activities, low-income housing developments, and revitalization of the historic Pioneer Square district and culturally rich International District."

King County’s press release on HB  1997

NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO ACT!

There are more than 700 people and organizations listed on this site who are part of the Advocate4Culture Coalition, and all of our House Reps across King County and the state need to know that we support this bill, and we need their leadership to pass it!

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TODAY:

1. Find the contact information for your Representatives. You've got two. They both need to hear from you in the next 4 days (by Tuesday). Call or email them and tell them you support HB 1997 and that bill needs to get passed this year, or the arts/heritage programs you value in King County will be cut by 90%. This is urgent and has no impact on the current year budget.

2. HB 1997 is scheduled for a hearing this Tuesday, February 22nd at 1:30 p.m.  We need a flood of advocates at the hearing. We know it's a burden for some to get off work, but if it's at all possible, YOUR attendance will make a huge difference. We can arrange transportation. Email us by Monday at 4pm if you want a ride. Otherwise, check back on the blog soon and we'll post more info about the room. Here are driving directions and a campus map. 

3. Tell everyone you know about steps 1 & 2.

YOU ROCK.

----

P.S. We also want to note that the Senate dropped a bill SB 5834 that addresses some of the funding for 4Culture, but not the rest of the economic development/tourism package that King County leadership is pushing for. The best message you can give legislators now is: "Please support HB1997, King County's Economic Development bill that includes 4Culture. Arts & Culture are an important part of King County's plan to create jobs and improve our economy by bringing more visitors and tourism spending to King County communities."

Hey King County - Where's the Bill?!

(c) 2009, Time Changes Everything, Thomas Hawk 

Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin' and we want a bill we can stand behind and advocate for now.


As you know, King County is taking the lead this year, incorporating our beloved 4Culture's future into an economic development bill. 


We are cool with this, but we want to hit Olympia now, before it's too late for us to make a difference through advocacy. 


We are artists and employers; we are historians and teachers; we are preservationists and parents --- we are voters, and we want to advocate for what matters to us.


Our pens, keyboards, phones and feet are ready to roll; and we excited to tell our legislators why they should support 4Culture and King County's economic development bill. Drop the bill King County and we'll get to work!