[NEohioPAL]What If There Were No Arts?

[misha at cheshire-grin.net]

E.B.,=0D
   As a smoker in the local arts community, I'm not so quick to say a "majo=
rity"=0D
of us smoke.  Atleast not any more.  And yes, oil companies are making reco=
rd=0D
profits but as much as I don't like it, that is not really theft; it's pric=
ing a=0D
commodity at a price the market is willing to pay.  And we prove we're read=
y,=0D
willing, and able to pay it everytime we pull up to the pump. =0D
   As for the extra tax on cigarettes, I'm personally torn.  I'm very happy=
 that=0D
the money will be going to the arts, but I still can't whole-heartedly supp=
ort=0D
the tax.  After all, I'm a smoker, as I said.  Instead of taxing cigarettes=
 or,=0D
as Tom suggested, alcohol, why not tax gasoline?  Or bread?  Or an extra pr=
operty=0D
tax?  Or any of a dozen other things that a wider range of people spend mon=
ey on?=0D
 The only answer I can come up with is simply because smokers have become t=
he=0D
major political persona non-grata of the last decade or so, and therefore i=
t's=0D
"okay" to tax them (or should I say "us") more heavily.  If there's another=
=0D
reason for it, I don't see it.  And personally, I don't feel that that's ok=
ay at=0D
all.  I didn't think so before I started smoking and I don't think so now.=
=0D
   Meanwhile, I also feel that you cross the line by saying that in not=0D
supporting the arts, someone is "robbing" a child of something.  In point o=
f=0D
fact, they are not.  They are not PROVIDING it, no, but that is not the sam=
e=0D
thing as theft by a long shot.  No more than that it's theft when you don't=
 give=0D
up your television set or automobile or air conditioning to provide it to s=
omeone=0D
else.  I won't stand resolute and proclaim that narrow-focus taxation is th=
eft,=0D
either, but it's alot closer to it than simply not supporting the arts.  By=
 a=0D
long shot.=0D
    In short, I think you're both a bit off base, unfortunately I think you=
're=0D
further off than Tom is.  And while I haven't seen the Red Cross commercial=
 in=0D
question, I STRONGLY disagree with it.  You ask nicely because you ARE, in =
fact,=0D
asking for something that isn't, by rights, YOURS.  And when something isn'=
t=0D
yours to take you are only left with two options:  asking and theft.  So if=
 your=0D
through asking nicely, which option is left?=0D
=0D
W. Michael Broughton=0D
=0D
=0D
On Fri Aug 11 10:14 , "E.B. Smith"  sent:=0D
=0D
>Dear Tom,=0D
>=0D
>I would like to ask if you were a member of the local arts community.=0D
>But in point of fact, I don't need to because if you were, you would=0D
>realize that a good number, if not a majority of local artists SMOKE.=0D
>Myself included.  And yet, I don't see any reason why this tax should=0D
>not be implemented.  To answer your question, if we, as a community of=0D
>artists could afford to fund the arts solely on our own, we would.=0D
>There isn't a theater or a studio in the world that doesn't need or=0D
>couldn't use more money.  We are all underfunded.  Listen, we are now=0D
>paying rediculous amounts of money for gasoline, and these hiked=0D
>prices are going straight into the pockets of oil companies that are=0D
>recording record profits!  THAT is robbery.  An added tax on=0D
>cigarettes that will aid in the intellectual development of the region=0D
>and the region's future generations is not.  If you don't want to=0D
>support the arts, it's your business to steal from our young peoples'=0D
>development.  THAT would be the REAL crime,  not you having to pay an=0D
>extra 30 cents.  I don't see this as stealing from anyone, but as the=0D
>red cross commercial says: "we're tired of asking nicely".=0D
>=0D
>-E.B. Smith=0D
>=0D
>On 8/11/06, Tom tzandar at sbcglobal.net> wrote:=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> This is the most disgusting thing I've seen in a while.   Instead of fun=
ding=0D
>> things yourself, you wholly support stealing money from smokers while at=
 the=0D
>> same time no doubt supporting the asinine smoking bans in all public pla=
ces=0D
>> rather then allowing a business to choose to allow smoking.    Are you o=
nly=0D
>> targeting cigarettes for a reason?  Why not alcohol?  Is it because you=
=0D
>> don't mind drinking?=0D
>>=0D
>> As a smoker who puts money into the arts, this is just another reason to=
=0D
>> stop...supporting the arts.  If this legalized theft passes, I will be=
=0D
>> shopping in another county and you won't see a dime.  First it was the n=
ew=0D
>> stadium, now it's the arts, what will be next?  Maybe we can have a tax =
on=0D
>> top of a tax to pay for new cars for everyone in the "immoral majority."=
=0D
>>=0D
>> I fear that the fools in this county will pass this, since it won't cost=
=0D
>> most of them anything.  Maybe I'll have to get more involved in acting,=
=0D
>> dress up like a robber and start taking your money for what I want to do=
.=0D
>> The only difference is that I don't have the force of corrupt county=0D
>> government behind me.=0D
>>=0D
>> If you want to get money coming back into this community, get the tax ra=
te=0D
>> on everything CUT.  People are far more charitable when they have some m=
oney=0D
>> left after all these taxes to give.  Of course, they also want to see th=
ings=0D
>> that don't horribly offend them.    That fact seems to be lost on many i=
n=0D
>> the community.=0D
>>=0D
>> Thanks for the list of places to attend and counter this abuse of a mino=
rity=0D
>> group.=0D
>>=0D
>> Tom=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>  A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of t=
he=0D
>> people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.=0D
>> Thomas Jefferson=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> ----- Original Message -----=0D
>> From: jessica colombi=0D
>> To: neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com=0D
>> Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 10:45 AM=0D
>> Subject: [NEohioPAL]What If There Were No Arts?=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> Are you aware that YOU will be able to vote this November 7th to support=
 all=0D
>> of our individual artists, projects, and arts and cultural institutions?=
 The=0D
>> Cuyahoga County Commissioners have placed on the November 7, 2006 ballot=
 a=0D
>> cigarette excise tax in support of the County's arts and culture sector.=
=0D
>>=0D
>> Here are the facts:=0D
>>=0D
>> - The tax is equal to one and one half cents (1=BD cents) per cigarette.=
 A=0D
>> pack of 20 cigarettes would have a total tax of 30 cents per pack.=0D
>> - The levy can be in force up to 10 years.=0D
>> - By law, Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3381, the proceeds from such a tax can=
=0D
>> only be used in support of arts and culture and can not be used for any=
=0D
>> other purposes. It would be a dedicated arts and - culture public fund o=
nly=0D
>> in Cuyahoga County=0D
>> - If the ballot passes it is expected to yield in excess of $23 million=
=0D
>> annually. The County Commissioners would establish a base of $20 million=
=0D
>> that will be allocated annually for use by arts and cultural organizatio=
ns=0D
>> primarily as general operational grants through the County's Arts and=0D
>> Culture Investment Models as adopted by the Board of County Commissioner=
s'=0D
>> Resolution No. 040801.=0D
>> - The Arts and Culture Investment Models are a series of four competitiv=
e=0D
>> grant categories that include operating support, project support, artist=
=0D
>> education residencies and research support, and special initiatives or=
=0D
>> one-time emergency grants, e.g. fire damage, natural disasters. Debts or=
=0D
>> deficits would not be considered emergencies.=0D
>>=0D
>> Now, we need YOU to help us get the word out so we can pass this thing!=
=0D
>>=0D
>> We have some specific volunteer opportunities this weekend and we NEED Y=
OUR=0D
>> HELP:=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> Greetings!=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> It is only with your help and participation that we will see victory on=
=0D
>> November 7th.  Please encourage your co-workers, friends and family to h=
elp=0D
>> us by covering an easy and fun TWO HOUR SHIFT this weekend! We need to=
=0D
>> spread the word of the importance of this issue. Pick a shift and we'll =
get=0D
>> you a t-shirt, flyers, and volunteer sign up sheets.=0D
>>=0D
>> _____________________________________________________________________=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> FRIDAY, August 11=0D
>>=0D
>> Brooklyn Home Days (7600 Memphis Ave)=0D
>>=0D
>> North Olmsted Cultural Arts Show (Frostville Museum)=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> SATURDAY, August 12=0D
>>=0D
>> Brooklyn Home Days (7600 Memphis Ave)=0D
>>=0D
>> North Olmsted Cultural Arts Show (Frostville Museum)=0D
>>=0D
>> Feast of the Assumption (Little Italy)=0D
>>=0D
>> Union Miles Community Expo (9250 Miles Park)=0D
>>=0D
>> Cleveland Ward 6 Expo (Artha Woods Park)=0D
>>=0D
>> Black Culture International on Parade (Tri-C Metro Campus)=0D
>>=0D
>> Great Lakes Burning River Festival (Whiskey Island)=0D
>>=0D
>> Open Air in Market Square (West 25th & Lorain 10AM-4PM)=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> SUNDAY, August 13=0D
>>=0D
>> Brooklyn Home Days (7600 Memphis Ave)=0D
>>=0D
>> Walk and Roll Cleveland (MLK Blvd. 11:00AM-5:00PM)=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> NEXT WEEK! LOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING:=0D
>>=0D
>> Greek Festival in Cleveland Heights=0D
>>=0D
>> Olmsted Falls Heritage Days=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> You may view a more comprehensive listing of events at the web address=
=0D
>> below:=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> http://www.google.com/calendar/embed\?src=3Djessicavioletta%40gmail.com=
=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> Please  call our office :  (216) 479-0555 and ask for Erin=0D
>>=0D
>> or contact Jessica Colombi: jessicavioletta at gmail.com or call 216 402 79=
90=0D
>>=0D
>> or=0D
>>=0D
>> Julian Rogers: julian_rogers at hotmail.com or call 216 973 3966=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> to sign up to help at ANY of these events this weekend!=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>> Thank you for all of your support!!!!=0D
>>=0D
>> Campaign Team=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>>=0D
>=0D
>=0D
>-- =0D
>Peace, love and hair grease all.  Be strong.=0D
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