Advocacy Update – Call your legislators today to tell them to add the arts to their priority list
The budget process is moving forward. Right now, leadership in both Houses of the General Assembly is deciding who will sit on the conference committee. Leadership is also soliciting priorities for funding from all members of the General Assembly. It is vitally important that the arts appear on these lists.
This is where you come in…
- Contact both your state senator and state representative by PHONE and ask them to add arts funding through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) to their priorities list. A phone call will have more impact than an e-mail or fax at this point in the process.
- Follow up your phone call with an e-mail or a fax.
We are being heard. A legislator from Elk County remarked to one of our advocates that the arts were a “hot button” issue. In the speeches made during the Senate debate on HB 1416, four senators specifically talked about the arts during their remarks. They were Senator Jay Costa, Senator Vincent Hughes, Senator Anthony Williams, and Senator Wayne Fontana. If they represent you, please send them a note of thanks. We were also told by several legislative staffers that our Save the Arts Rally was the most impressive rally that has been held in years. So, your efforts are receiving notice.
Phone numbers for your legislators can be found by visiting our Legislative Action Center and typing your zip code in the box located at the top of the page. If you have difficulty finding the phone numbers, please give me a call at 717-234-0959 or send me an e-mail at jlh@citizensfortheartsinpa.org and I’ll locate the number for you. We need to keep up the pressure…CALL your legislators today!
Sincerely,
Jenny
Jenny Hershour
Managing Director
P.S. As soon as we have the names of the members of the Conference Committee, we will notify you as to the next steps to take.
