Angie
08-30-2007, 06:57 PM
TAKE ACTION NOW! RESTORE ARTS FUNDING TO ILLINOIS: We must act now to send a powerful message to Governor Rod Blagojevich, Senate President Emil Jones, House Speaker Michael Madigan, and other state lawmakers that the arts are not pork! <o></o>
The Governor's FY08 spending plan calls for a dramatic 35% cut (over $7 million) to the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) budget. This decrease in funding will undoubtedly have a devastating impact to the arts statewide and significantly reduce the funds available for IAC grant programs. Furthermore, the Governor completely eliminated the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Please tell Governor Blagojevich, senate and house leadership, and your state lawmakers TODAY how essential the arts are to you and your community. We have made it extremely easy for you to effectively advocate for the arts. <o></o>
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO:<o></o>
1) Write two letters to lawmakers using the talking points provided in the links below<o></o>
a. One requesting that funding for the Illinois Arts Council be restored to $23.2 million as proposed by the General Assembly on August 10, 2007<o></o>
CLICK HERE (http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235401&type=ML&show_alert=1)
b. The other urging lawmakers to restore funding to the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education. CLICK HERE (http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235931&type=ML&show_alert=1)
2) Make two phone calls to the numbers listed below expressing your concern with the proposed budget cuts to the arts and urging that funding be fully restored for the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois State Board of Education's Arts and Foreign Language grant program. <o></o>
a) Ginger Ostro<o></o>
Budget Director for Governors Office of Management and Budget, Ginger.ostro@illinois.gov (http://www.icebase.com/go.shtml?20070830101725413374&m12161&mailto:Ginger.ostro@illinois.gov), 312-814-0023<o></o>
b) Governor Rod Blagojevich<o></o>
312-814-2121 ( <st1:city w:st="on"> Chicago</st1:city> ) OR 217-558-0880
The Governor's FY08 spending plan calls for a dramatic 35% cut (over $7 million) to the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) budget. This decrease in funding will undoubtedly have a devastating impact to the arts statewide and significantly reduce the funds available for IAC grant programs. Furthermore, the Governor completely eliminated the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Please tell Governor Blagojevich, senate and house leadership, and your state lawmakers TODAY how essential the arts are to you and your community. We have made it extremely easy for you to effectively advocate for the arts. <o></o>
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO:<o></o>
1) Write two letters to lawmakers using the talking points provided in the links below<o></o>
a. One requesting that funding for the Illinois Arts Council be restored to $23.2 million as proposed by the General Assembly on August 10, 2007<o></o>
CLICK HERE (http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235401&type=ML&show_alert=1)
b. The other urging lawmakers to restore funding to the Arts and Foreign Language grant program through the Illinois State Board of Education. CLICK HERE (http://capwiz.com/artsusa/il/issues/alert/?alertid=10235931&type=ML&show_alert=1)
2) Make two phone calls to the numbers listed below expressing your concern with the proposed budget cuts to the arts and urging that funding be fully restored for the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois State Board of Education's Arts and Foreign Language grant program. <o></o>
a) Ginger Ostro<o></o>
Budget Director for Governors Office of Management and Budget, Ginger.ostro@illinois.gov (http://www.icebase.com/go.shtml?20070830101725413374&m12161&mailto:Ginger.ostro@illinois.gov), 312-814-0023<o></o>
b) Governor Rod Blagojevich<o></o>
312-814-2121 ( <st1:city w:st="on"> Chicago</st1:city> ) OR 217-558-0880