[NEohioPAL]Arts Partnership for Vital Cuyahoga County Programs

[Bodwin Theatre]

List:  I'd like to raise an important point for the arts community.  On May 
6, Cuyahoga County voters will vote on Issue 15, a levy for Health and Human 
Services. While the theater and arts community is diverse, the Community 
Partnership for Arts and Culture, as well as many individuals in the arts 
community, strongly support Issue 15. As an artist or performer, I know you 
share the view that the arts improve our community's quality of life by 
providing arts and culture that build the economy, improve education, and 
lift the spirit.  In that same way, the health and human services sector 
improves quality of life by standing in the gap for tens of thousands of 
citizens who need basic human services to live. We are partners in improving 
the life of Cuyahoga County's residents.  The arts community has been 
talking about the need for public funding for the arts, arguing that artists 
are a vital partner in the community. I am writing to encourage members to 
demonstrate the strength of that partnership.

Please support Issue 15. You can help by forwarding this note on to any 
email list contacts you have that share these goals; writing a letter to 
your local paper; attending an issue 15 fundraiser (sponsored by the 
Coalition for Greater Cleveland's Children, on April 10 from 8 AM to 10 AM 
at Positive Education Center, Midtown Center, 3134 Euclid Avenue, 
Cleveland); volunteering to help (we need 50 volunteers on Thursday, May 1 
to make phone calls to voters asking them to support Issue 15). Here's what 
the levy will help provide:

* Services for Children, such as promoting health and development for 
prenatal babies through 5 year olds, foster care for abused children and 
treatment for emotionally disturbed youth.  Without Issue 15, support for 
more than 10,000 children and young adults would be cut.  Reductions would 
be made in programs that help abused and neglected children, quality 
childcare, foster care and parent training. Our nationally ranked program 
that provides health care screening for prenatal babies through 5 year olds 
and helps ensure they are ready to begin school would be severely impacted.

* Services for Seniors, so they have home health care, can continue to live 
independently in their homes, and be protected from abuse and exploitation. 
Without Issue 15, more than 1,000 seniors per year would lose their ability 
to live independently at home. Additionally, in-home services for thousands 
of frail, low-income adults would be jeopardized potentially leaving many 
more seniors vulnerable to neglectful or dangerous living conditions.

* MetroHealth Medical Center's Comprehensive Burn Care Center, Metro Life 
Flight and the level one trauma center.  If not funded. MetroHealth will not 
be able to adequately serve more adults as they lose medical coverage (as a 
result of State cuts, around 7,000 working parents will lose medical 
coverage and another 100,000 adults will lose other vital medical services).

Without Issue 15, our health care safety net system is at risk:.
Issue 15 is a sound investment on behalf of vulnerable children, seniors, 
and others who need health and human services. Your vote FOR Issue 15 will 
bring $170 million from the State of Ohio. For the average county homeowner, 
the added cost is under $8 per month; in Cleveland, it’s under $3 per month. 
That's a small price to pay for maintaining a caring, compassionate, safer 
community.

For Cuyahoga County residents, please mark the date:  May 6, Vote FOR Issue 
15.  Thanks for the opportunity to raise these important points.

Kevin Cronin
Managing Director, Bodwin Theatre Company
One the web: http://bodwin_theatre.tripod.com


_________________________________________________________________