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Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
Please don't starve the arts. We need the cultural resources
these organizations provide as much as we need clean air and
water. It is more than supporting entertainment. The Arts provide
us with vital perspectives and life lessons. They give the
children of our Region the cultural enrichment which has been
slashed from our schools. The Arts provide a vital part of our
economic base, serving as a beacon to draw tourists from across
the nation and the world.
The Arts are not part of the problem, they are a key element in
the creation and maintenance of a truely sustainable Region.
Sincerely
cdavid hall-cottrill
Founding Director
Please Take Materials Exchange

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
Please support the amendment to not decrease funding for culture
and the arts in Philadelphia. It's what makes the city vibrant.
Thank you!

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

Please do not make a foolish mistake be cutting the cultural
budget. You are going after the heart of the city, and why
people like myself will drive into the city (50 minutes) to see
great plays and theater and to discover great dining. We
presently subscribe to 4 theaters (Walnut, Arden, The Fringe, and
1812), and it all began when Mayor Rendell cleaned up the city.
Before his tenure, the city was dead and worthy of avoiding. Now
the city is alive again. Stop supporting the cultural arts and
the arts will move elsewhere leaving the city to crumble again.
If you want to save money clean up the Convention Center unions.
Having just done a show there, I promise you I will never go
back as a vender. I was told that the unions have changed, but
only in their smile. Why do you think that the city has only a
7% return rate at the Center?

Dear Mayor Street:


DO NOT VETO THESE BILLS! It will cause harm to the long term
economic development of Philadelphia!

The people have spoken -- in fact, the people have spoked so
much, we are hoarse. Council has voted to create the Tax Reform
Commission and join the Mayor's own hand-picked transition team
in support of its recommendations. City Council has passed
legislation to implement significant recommendations of the Tax
Reform Commission. Now let's move Philadelphia forward.

Mayor Street, you should heed the advice of your own transition
team. Sign these bills and bring Philadelphia into the 21st
Century.

Councilmembers Blackwell, Clarke, Cohen, Goode, Mariano,
Miller,
Ramos, and Reynolds Brown, I am disappointed that you failed to
vote for all of the tax reform bills, but I urge you now to
listen to the public and vote to override the Mayor's
threatened
veto to make tax reform the law of the land.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

Passage of the ammended budget to restore cultural funding is absolutely essential to our city's well-being and economy. I urge you to approve this.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

As an artist living in Philadelphia, I urge all members of City
Council to support the amended budget which supports arts and
culture, and for Mayor Street not to veto it. I make my living
in Philadelphia because of the wonderful arts and culture
events, activities, and opportunities that are unique to this
city. I also vote. Please remember when voting tomorow not to
cut culture!
Sincerely,
Michelle Wilson

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
It is indeed the eleventh hour on this vote, and I urge
you to keep the funding for the arts. I moved to this area
from a thriving theater community in Chicago. That was in 1988.
Since that time I have watched the arts grow, prosper, risk,
enlighten and affect the city of Philadelphia. It is now a
huge draw to people young and older and a bright spot of
development. We are a perfect example of what arts can do
for a community and its individuals. Please do not impede
this growth.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Shanok

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

Being an artist, I rely on a striving artistic community to
entertain, enlighten, and employ myself. Philadelphia has had a
major part in my growing as an artist, and I see any decrease in
funding or support for it, a huge detriment to the city.

Please vote "yes" to keep the ammended buget and keep the arts
in Philadelphia growing.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

I have seen the city of Philadelphia produce many cultural
performance arts groups, artist, organization, and venues that
would rival most in the country. Many of these organizations
opon a door for low to moderate income families find a place to
send their children who are in desperate need of this kind of
enrichment outside of what is offered in schools, and after
school programs.
Many children who attend event by these grous,
organizations, or individuals gain a greater sense of self, a
strong appreciatetion for other cultures, and above all learn
their own culture, which many find to be apart of so many
different groups.
Please help to keep the flow of money in Philadelphia to our
artist in Philadelphia!

Karen Grant
Outreach Coordinator "VOA"
www.voicesofafrica.net

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
Please restore cultural funding to Philadelphia. Our city’s
active arts community benefits our city in so many ways. It has
helped to build a cultured community that attracts people to
visit and live in our city. This has helped to bring in much
needed money, revitalizing whole neighborhoods. The overall
quality of life in the city of Philadelphia will suffer if the
arts are not allowed to thrive.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

I urge Mayor Street and Philadelphia City Council Members to
approve the amended City budget which restores cultural funding
to our city.

Thank you sincerely,

Michelle Marcuse

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
If you starve and in effect deaden arts and culture in
Philadelphia, you hurt the economy and life will leave the
City. Arts and cultural institutions make Philadlephia a
destination. Don't bleed the City of its life force.
Sincerely,
Laura Stutman, Curator

Stenton

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

First, I would like to applaud the City Council's vision and courage in its
efforts to spare cultural funding in the city of Philadelphia. While money is tight
in these times, recognizing that cultural spending is key to a city's life and
economic growth shows a prudent foresight.

Second, I urge the City Council to stay the course and stand by their judgement
on this issue. While a veto is threatened on the newly approved budget, I ask
now that all members of City Council stick to their guns and see that this
budget is passed and cultural spending preserved for Philadelphia. I urge
Mayor Street to approve the budget, including the restorations to cultural
funding.

This effort will have massive repercussions for our city. I know: I was a student
at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1980's here in Philadelphia, a time
when our arts scene was struggling. What was the effect? The downtown core
of Philadelphia had little to offer, and even travelling down to 20th and Samson
to the (then) Wilma Theatre seemed like a journey to an abandoned city. The
city core offered little before or after the show, and my own personal safety felt
at risk.

When I returned to Philadelphia in 2000, I found an arts scene bursting with
activity. The Wilma is, of course, now one of the jewels of the Avenue of the
Arts, and when I return to 20th and Samson, to see theatre at interAct Theatre
Company or any of the four theatres located in that vicinity, I am greeted by
restaurants, businesses and activity. Old City, a wasteland in the eighties, is
booming, and the home of another Philadelphia theatre, Arden Theatre
Company. Most importantly, InterAct, Wilma, Arden and many other theatres in
our city actively discover new voices in American Theatre, not only enriching
the cultural life and discourse of our city, but elevating Philadelphia to national
prominence.

All of this change is due to the foresight and conviction of city leaders who
knew the value of the arts in building a strong, economically vibrant city. Arts
spending is key to promoting Philadelphia as a great place to live and work,
and investments in culture yield a 2:1 return in spending. My own life is proof
of this: after living in new York and Seattle, I am proud now to call Philadelhia
my home, and have just purchased my first house in Mount Airy.

Philadelphia is not only a city with a rich historic past: it is a vital city which
fosters and inspires artists for a richer future. The preserved cultural funding
will not only keep these arts in Philadelphia, but will create the jobs and quality
of life which will continue to promote Philadelphia as a great place to live and
work, and not just visit. I beg of you: DON'T STARVE THE ARTS!

Sincerely,

Michael Whistler
212 East Sydney Street
Philadelphia PA 19119
mwhistler@aol.com

Dear Mayor Street & City Council: Please do not cut funding to
the arts in Philadelphia. A flourishing arts environment
attracts not only cultural tourists, but also gives Philly an
edge in the minds of people considering locating here over
cities where the cuts have already taken place. Money spent on
the arts gives one of the best returns on the dollar over any
other form of public spending. Thank you for your kind
consideration. --Richard Stone

Dear Mayor Street & City Council: Please restore cultural
funding to Philadelphia. Active arts communities are very
beneficial for the city as a whole, attracting energetic and
educated people to live in Philadelphia and participate in the
economy of the city. The creation and presentation of new and
exciting performing and visual arts products is one of the vital
cores of any city. The overall quality of life in the city of
Philadelphia will suffer if all city-sponsored support to the
cultural sector is cut.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

My colleagues and I at Headlong Dance Theater were thrilled to learn
that City Council has ammended the FY 05 budget to restore cultural
funding for Philadelphia. I commend City Council for seeing the myriad
ways that arts and culture contribute to our community. Our museums,
theaters and cultural centers -- not to mention small, grass-roots
organizations like Headlong -- strengthen our economy, improve quality
of life for all citizens, and reinforce Philadelphia's reputation as a diverse
and exciting city.

In the face of some extremely difficult decisions about next year's
budget, it takes courage and vision to stand up for cultural funding. In
ammending the FY 05 budget, City Council has shown courage and
vision -- and I urge Mayor Street to follow the Council's example. A veto
of cultural funding will give residents of every class and color, and
business large and small, fewer reasons to stay in Philadelphia.

On a rainy Friday not long ago, hundreds of people of all ages from all
over the city rallied in Love Park with a single, clear message: "Don't cut
culture!" City Council heard us. Mayor Street, were you listening?

Sincerely,

Christian DuComb
Company Manager
Headlong Dance Theater

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:
Please do not cut funding for arts and culture in Philadelphia.
As an unpaid volunteer in one of Fairmount Park's historic homes
for more than 25 years, I have seen funding being reduced to the
point where we must ask for donations to repair and maintain a
property which is owned by the City and which has been one of
the treasures and attractions that help bring travellers here.
Dolores R. Fenlon
House Chairman
Laurel Hill Mansion
Fairmount Park

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

How do you expect people especially our younger generation to
stay off of the streets and out of jail if all of the programs
and recreation centers are being shut down and cut. If there are
no positive outlets for our children or adults to go to you have
to know that street corners, bars and other negative paths are
going to be opened. Most of us, (black families) cannot afford
the prices to send our children or ourselves to recreational
facilities and rely on our few free or low cost programs that
are available and if you take them away what do you want us to
do. We want to expand our minds and horizons and would like our
children to do the same thing. I have three children, I have one
that loves to draw, write stories and poetry, my other daughter
doesn't have interest for anything, and my son is six and open
for all types of adventures. I cannot do to much with them as
fas as sending them to recreational camps or classes because
they are either to far away or to expensive. Please keep this
opportunity open for the people that need a positive outlet All
of Us.

Thank you.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

A year ago, I chose to move to Philadelphia because of it's
vibrant and diverse arts scene. Many of my friends, visiting
from all over the country, are astounded by the variety and
vitality of the arts in Philadelphia. They want to come
back--and I want to be able to stay.

For the moment, Philadelphia is a jewel of culture. The support
that the city government supplies to the spectrum of arts in this
city guarantees Philadelphia's emerging reputation as a great
American city. The presence of institutions like the Philadelphia
Museum of Art and the Free Library improve the quality and
profundity of life for all Philadelphia citizens.

Please don't squander the progress that has been made over the
last ten years in making Philadelphia a vibrant, attractive
culturally diverse city. Please keep municipal arts funding at
current levels. Your constituency demands it.

Dear Mayor Street & City Council:

It was a pleasure to learn of the budget amendments approved by
City Council restoring funding for cultural programs and
museums in Philadelphia. As President of a consortium of
historic house museums that have directly benefitted from PCF
funding, which in turn has allowed us to serve our community
and the City of Philadelphia better with educational and other
programs, I urge the Mayor to sign the budget including
restored funding for PMA, AKM, and the Cultural Fund. This is
an historic opportunity to emphasize that culture, history and
the arts are central to the vibrant life and prosperity of our
region.

Sincerely,
Stephen Hague
President
Historic Germantown Preserved

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