FYI from Listener 5.8 An alert 5th Listener just sent this to me. Bolding is mine. Art is wonderful and you should VOTE NO on this initiative. Ridiculous.
Statement from Creative Advocacy Network regarding the Circuit Court Ruling on Arts Education and Access Fund Ballot Measure Language:Today Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge John A. Wittmayer largely dismissed the challenges to the City of Portland’s Arts Education & Access Fund ballot language, allowing the ballot measure to move forward to a citizen vote with one wording change. Replacing the word “capped” with “of”, the ballot title will now read: “Shall Portland restore arts, music for schools and fund arts through income tax of 35 dollars per year?”Furthermore, Judge Wittmayer put questions of the legality of the proposed tax to rest by clarifying: “The proposed tax at issue here is not a head tax or a poll tax because it is not assessed per capita – it is assessed only upon income-earning individuals age 18 or older in households above the federal poverty guidelines.”“We are thrilled to be proceeding to the ballot with a proposal that will restore arts and
music teachers to Portland’s elementary schools and provide vital grants to schools and non-profits,” said Creative Advocacy Network Executive Director Jessica Jarratt Miller. “The rate of decline for arts education here has been shockingly steep. In the last five years, two of Portland’s six school districts (Parkrose and Centennial) have cut their arts and music teaching staff by half, while our largest district (Portland Public Schools) has dropped all arts instruction in 22 schools in just two years.”The ballot language was challenged last month under a state law that allows electors to petition the circuit court for a different title by proving the original filed by the City to be insufficient, not concise or unfair. According to Oregon state law, the circuit court’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.“We appreciate this decision and are glad the measure can go forward so that the citizens of this city can decide for themselves. Today just two out of 10 elementary schools have an art teacher, and nearly 12,000 Portland students have no art, music, dance or drama in school stimulate economic development. National research links access to arts and music education to improved test scores, graduation rates and college admittance,” Mayor Sam Adams said. “This measure is also essential to our ability to develop a workforce equipped with the creative thinking and problem solving skills necessary to compete in a modern economy.”With repeated polls reflecting support at above 70% for this proposal, the Creative Advocacy Network’s 501(c4) partner organization, the CAN Action Fund, will now register a political action committee called Schools & Arts Together to conduct a campaign in support of the Arts Education and Access Fund. This week Schools & Arts Together launched their website at SchoolsArtsTogether.com to rally supporters for the November ballot.If approved by voters, the fund will restore arts and music teachers to every Portland elementary school and provide grants to schools and non-profits to fund the arts city-wide and increase access to the arts for school children and underserved communities. The Arts Education & Access Fund will raise approximately $12.6 Million annually through an income tax limited to $35 per year for adult, income-earning residents of Portland in households above the federal poverty level.“Portland's embarrassing lack of arts and music education in our public schools puts our kids’ future at risk. The Arts Education and Access Fund is a powerful and creative solution that will help keep students engaged in school and on track to graduate.” concludes Gwen Sullivan, President of the Portland Association of Teachers.To read more about the current state of arts education in Portland, go to http://bit.ly/canreports. To learn more about the Schools & Arts Together Campaign, visit SchoolsArtsTogether.com or follow us on Facebook at SchoolsArtsTogether.Media Contact:Jessica Jarratt Miller
People who work these days don't seem to deserve a head, since they can get money for free from China and the US printing presses.
ReplyDeleteAnd only THAT argument disqualifies this as a head tax. By his reasoning, if you exempted ONE person from the tax it wouldn't be a head tax, if that person has a head.
The dismissal should go TO Wittmayer, not come FROM him.
No justice, no peace.
Oh so it is; Oh rather is not, a poll tax but yet it is a poll tax based on select criteria established by his Honor Judge Wittmayer.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the subjectivity is perfectly clear and defined by the Justice excluding those he conveniently selects to exclude, yet conveniently selecting those he chooses to include that earn income, albeit perhaps only slightly above poverty level to support it ??! Ah yes,"perfectly clear" and well yes also "perfectly transparent"?????
And who could possibly have the audacity to suggest that Justice is blind???????!!
Well, I can suggest a very good Ophthalmologist for this Judge; however, it is obvious from his ruling he didn't keep his last eye exam appointment, so my suggestion will likely fall on deaf ears. I could probably also recommend a good Ear, Nose and Throat Physician, but will have to do a little research and get back to you.
Perhaps, Victoria the next time Wittmayer stands for election you can remind your listeners of Wittmayer's visual (and auditory impairment); that is his "legal blindness" and suggest they support someone better able to support clearly established law.
And remember, physical and mental impairment is a justifiable reason to remove a judge from office.
Well, if it's only above poverty level, income-earning Portland residents older than the age of 18, I don't know how much progress one can make in saving the arts with $3,500.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, to raise $12.6 million per year at $35 per person is 360,000 people. Obviously, anyone who lives in - but works outside of - the City of Portland can't be forced to pay this tax (any more then someone who lives in Portland but works in Vancouver pays Oregon income tax). No one who works in the City of Portland but lives outside of the City can be forced to pay the tax. The universe of people eligible to pay is pretty small.
ReplyDeleteDon't need no stinkin arts.
ReplyDeleteHi guys,
ReplyDeleteYeah right wing, I guess that explains Occupy's inability to color within the lines.
Portland Public Schools gets about $14,000 a year per student in their all funds budget yet they can't fix the buildings, graduate more than 1/3 of their students or keep up with their PERS costs. $35.00 a head more each year is like throwing an ice cube into a blast furnace. Futile.