Virginia will cut money for museums, arts

Other states such as Nevada, Delaware, & New Jersey, have legalized activities that are frowned upon by states, such as the Commonwealth of Virginia, as immoral, & or criminal. They are reaping vast amounts of tax income in their coffers. The treasuries there seem to have no problem paying for what is needed by the state, without gouging it's taxpayers. I'm a Virginian, & have nothing against those 3 states, except perhaps jealously, that in at least some of them, if not all, their taxes are less than mine, yet, they still get to have no cutbacks on museums, or art, new schools, libraries, roads, no sales tax, etc. You get the point.

I believe the Sandler Center was most built on the taxpayer's backs. Now I find out that they also have been receiving help from the commonwealth. If this place can't support itself, turn it into something that can pay for itself.

Cut back on free social services for the un-needy and un-deserving. Save a bundle. I have to take a urinalysis to keep my job. Make everyone who recieves free anything from the state take one in order to recieve it. Save a bundle there, too, if they get popped for drugs. Gosh, I wish I could be in charge...

We taxpayers are STILL funding that dumb wooden replica? WHY? Much of the non-essentail government spending on thie list should have been cut from the state budget decades ago! While these "cuts" are only a drop in the bucket, I applaud the effort to actually reduce state government spending and try to restore the use of our taxpayer funds to the limited list of essential and required government services.

The Schooner Virignia is a richman's toy that should never have had a dime of tax dollars given to it without a referendum asking the voters if they desire to pay for this non-essentail boondoggle. Ironically, millions were sepnt on this project using transportation funds!

I believe funding for the Arts is important but understand the budget needs across Virginia. If we have the funds, we should support Arts in our communities.

I would encourage all citizens to support the arts, it's fun, enlightening and economical...for the whole family. Take a painting class, pottery, weaving, an acting class. Nothing beats a museum visit. Whatever you choose, do with your children, friends, your neighbors. Supporting the arts improves our communities, our families, and our lives....and it's fun....why not do something interesting....get out there....If you live in Suffolk or a surrounding community....the Suffolk Center for the Cultural Arts has it all....and they are friendly, not stuffy, family orientated....and they really appreciate you....

How many people use the public library, and how much does it cost to operate? Can you answer these simple questions? Would it shock you to discover that we are paying 10 times as much to operate the library as it would cost to simply buy everyone that uses it every book they have checked out? I am not saying that the library is a bad thing. All I am asking is that the entity that is payed for with my money justify its existence, that's all. But no, we won't do that. We never ask govt funded organizations for an accounting. That would violate some socialist principle.

there are still a lot of people out there that can't afford to buy books or don't have internet access. The education system depends on public libraries to help support their summer reading programs and curriculum's. Also the Internet is not secure and it is a vary public place. It is difficult to sort out the scholarly information as opposed to the junk. Libraries help do that. Also many people don't realize that librarians have been fighting the war to keep an individual's information private. They also have fought for the freedom of information and the right to make your choices on what to read. They have been fighting for basic rights and freedoms at the cost of their jobs and careers. Remember checking out a book and reading it in your home is private. On the internet no information is private.

Museums (Chrysler and Nauticus and VA Aquarium and 100 more in the area) contribute to society just as much as libraries do and should be supported. Hands-on exhibits at an aquarium or science center can inspire a child just as much (if not more so) than reading. There is a huge difference between a muscle car museum and the Chrysler Museum of Art, btw. I'm sure you can see the difference between a niche museum that will do nothing to expand the mind and a museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing art.

And I don't want to hear from any yahoo out there arguing that a '67 Camaro is art - it ain't.

VA Marine Science and Chrysler Hall are nice to haves but fall more under the private interest. I can go to the library and get a book to take me on a journey to far away lands or to research art, marine life or even work on my car. In other words, it is of interest to all at one time or another. If a person pops up and say they want state funding for an Adult Industries Museum with hands on exhibits do you think that should be subsidized with public funding? Or how about a Muscle Car Museum? My husband and a lot of people we know are interested in muscle cars, but they don't expect the rest of the taxpayers to pay for their pleasures. It's time to get each level of our government back to basics and get out of the charity, give aways and nice to have special interest entities. I can remember a time when Churches and charities were the ones to turn to in time of need. Now it seems like everyone wants the government to do it and it's five times more costly as a result and only half as helpful. If we keep going like we have been we'll be socialist and will also be half way down the road to communist. No thanks, I'll do it myself mom.

William, Democratic Governor Kaine's initial budget request funded zero non-state agencies, and the Democratic Senate went along with it, as did the Republican House.

2/3rds of the budgets were Democratic, so I focused on the majority.

Brian is once again blaming the only Democratic Party for the arts cuts and that my friend is unethical... Step up and admit it is a joint budget cutting measure.

Read it again: "The House and Senate have approved competing versions of the budget, however, and neither contains money for cultural organizations.

House and Senate budget negotiators say the money won't be forthcoming.

"Both sides are in agreement we won't do nonstates," said Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights. "I think people are looking for us to make tough decisions during these difficult times."

Added Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, "This is a tight budget, and we've got to make the core services of state government a higher priority than the nonstate agencies."

And when the electricity is out or just gone, how good is your PC then?. or the ATM's, gas pumps, etc. The Library requires no energy to exist, people have been reading using candles, lantern light and the sun. gee how novel. I enjoy my library visits very much, a book regardless of it's topic or age should be a very intimate experience. Always ready to read, whereever we are, DMV waiting, Dr.'s office, the book will transport you, to places near and far. Now - as far as affording museum visit's and such, most offer free hours and activities. The chrysler museum, 'a gem of inspiration and ideas' is free every wednesday til 9 PM, and every wednesday they provide live music and a wine and cheese bar for the adult visitor's and water and confections for the under aged patron, oh, being true to it's founders belief, is free always to all students. (chrysler.org,) So my paid membership under writes this opportunity for all thirsting creative souls to experience a wonderful adventure spaning centuries, and all art used to express all that inspires. The Arts and museums are there to expose the masses to the real word, i encourage all to partake while we can, and don't wait for the elect

Va. Marine Science Museum says they need to replace the "Ocean in Motion" Truck since it has 150,000 miles on it? Hellooooo!!! My Toyota pickup has well over 200,000 miles on it and I depend on that to get to and from work so I can pay taxes so the state can spend more money than they need to? My wife's explorer has over 200,000 miles on it too! Welcome to reality folks...times are tight and things are going to get worse before they get better. Last time I went to Va. Marine Science Museum, if memory serves me correctly I paid upwards of $8 or $9 to get in. and the State is giving them half a million??? or was??? Fiscal irresponsibility I say.
Nothing wrong with giving to the arts and science but hey, when you ain't got it to give, they have to do without!!

is another man's yard sale item. Get rid of the libraries too, or at least make them justify their existence. With the internet, how many people actually go to the library anymore? (kind of like reading a paper-newspaper, no?)

Funding for the arts is a good thing theoretically, then humans step into the picture, and it all turns to poo.

Brian you're right but it's a start. Remember everyone has pet projects. Collectively they add up.

It wasnt too long ago when are sales tax was 4%. TheWarner raised it to save the day. Then Kain raised it. It's not a taxing shortfall it's too much spending.

Big Mike. I understand where you're coming from, but these efforts being cut aren't lowering your tax bill one bit. I respect your view that these efforts should never be funded, but don't be fooled by cuts like these that are so small they are practically a rounding error. Our taxes are high because of the spending they continue to increase while parading ornamental budget cuts like these.

A story about budget cuts. Yes, it's just a drop in the bucket, but it's as good a place to start as any. Hopefully this will gain momentum into deep and sweeping cuts across the board. The first economic good news I've read about in a long, long time.

Keep cutting until you can live within your means!

Brian, perhaps you don't understand. Let me help. If every person has their little hobby or vice subsidized by the gov't then it equals a LARGE PERCENTAGE of the state budget. There were times in my life when I had to make a choice between food on the table or making a very worn out pair of shoes last another six months. We are at that point. It's time to cut WAY BACK on the nice to have pet projects and concentrate on the needed to survive. We have a run away state and local gov't that is using our tax dollars to pay for pet projects and subsidize friends and family companies development projects. It MUST come to an end or at the very least be cut back. If I weren't paying such high taxes maybe I could actually take a vacation and show my family the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. It's NOT the gov't responsibility to fund private interest or hobbies. It's NOT in their CHARTER. If these organizations have enough interest, they will be funded by private resources. The cut backs have to happen, I can't afford to pay more taxes.

The Arts funding Democrats cut amounts to less than a tenth of a percent of the state budget. Both parties should understand that arts funding goes right back into the community and, when targeted correctly, generates restaurant tax revenue that makes it smart economics. Loading up budget increases throughout the funding while cutting arts is not only counterproductive, but is akin to drinking a diet coke while eating a Big Mac and thinking you're losing weight.

Now, they need to really get the ball rolling and tell these overexpensive colleges and universities where to get off. Then, most importantly, fire all of VDUD's top management and all these crooked contractors they hired. Remember the mess they made on I-64? The one they had to re-do and VDUD actually paid them to re-do it with no refund for the original screw up.