Chiarelli and the Arts

[BattementCloche]

This really has nothing to do with 99.999% of the people on this board (since I think I'm the only one from Ottawa), but I would like to hear other people's views on this matter.

Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli, just a few months into his re-election as mayor, has decided to ruin Ottawa. His plan is to close three pools, two wading pools, get rid of a large percentage of public flower beds in our parks, cut funding to some of our 16 museums, close other rural museums in the area around Ottawa, and, most tragic :nopity: of all, CUT FUNDING TO THE ARTS. :speechless: No more arts festivals, no more assistance for struggling actors, no more assistance for the theaters, and no more assistance for the many ballet schools and ballet companies in Ottawa. Why? So he can freeze taxes, which have not gone up with inflation rates. Every other large city in Canada has raised it's taxes by 5.3%, MINIMUM since taxes in Ottawa were frozen. This was all well and good, when there were enough back-up funds to support a freeze. But now? Living expenses have gone up, and taxes have not.

At the Museum of Nature, during the annual 'Mayor's Sweetheart Luncheon' , where the Mayor greets the people of Ottawa and produces his plans for the next year, Chiarelli was greeted with boos every time he opened his mouth. Most of those who attended wore black, mourning the end of the arts in Ottawa. On the whole, people in Ottawa would prefer a tax increase. They've had a few years to warm up to the notion that "Our taxes haven't gone up. Toronto's have." and have long been prepared for the inevitable. Now Chiarelli is forestalling the inevitable and bringing on the ruination of the arts. I wonder if he would have gotten elected if the public knew this was coming?

:giveup:

~*~Rosalind~*~

***Sic transit gloria mundi.***

—said (written) by Terence? I can't remember who...

[Alexandra]

At the at the Museum of Nature, the annual 'Mayor's Sweetheart Luncheon' , where the Mayor greets the people of Ottawa and produces his plans for the next year, Chiarelli was greeted with boos every time he opened his mouth. Most of those who attended wore black, mourning the end of the arts in Ottawa. On the whole, people in Ottawa would prefer a tax increase.

Wow! I can't imagine that reaction here. Most Americans, in polls, say they support funding for the arts as a general proposition, but if they were told, "Okay, but then we'll have to cut the sports funding for high schools; no more football!" or "we'll have to decrease Social Security by .001 percent" I think that support would crumble.

I think this is going to happen more and more -- it's odd, as we get richer, we seem to have less money. Congratulations for booing. I hope that continues.

[Mel Johnson]

Lemme guess, Chiarelli's a Tory, right?

[BattementCloche]

Yes, I think he's a Tory.

Chiarelli has said that it goes one way or the other--either no more arts or a "modest" (emphasis on the quotes) tax increase. Really, wouldn't you think that instead of cutting funding for the arts and public programs, pools, flowerbeds, etc. maybe he could cut the funding that somehow winds up delivered to the most expensive restaurants and hotels courtesy of politicians with ridiculous wages? Or maybe they could stop the testing in schools in grades 3, 6 and 9. After all, (speaking from first-hand experience) all the teachers do is cram the kid's heads full with the answers to the tests so the schools (and, of course, the teachers) will look good. The tests do absolutely nothing towards the better education of our children, it just makes them hate school all the more because of the enormous amount of homework they have.:angry:

Go arts boo Chiarelli !

~*~Rosalind~*~

***Sic transit Gloria mundi***

[Pamela Moberg]

My dear, I do think that your Chiarelli sounds like a quite normal politician. They do it all over the place, in Europe too. Life is not getting any easier or more pleasant.

[BattementCloche]

Oh, yes, I understand that perfectly...it had to happen eventually. The thing is, it makes no sense: people come to Ottawa for the arts festivals, plays, heritage museums, ballets, etc. Those visitors eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels, and pay for admission to most of the places they visit: some of that money inevitably ends up in the government's pocket. By decreasing funding, they are decreasing the events that will lure people to 'Our Nation's Capital' (as we Ottawa residents refer to our city). People come from all over to visit our Parliament Buildings—one day when I was on a tour there were a couple from Australia, a family from Pakistan and others from B.C., Alberta, New Brunswick, P.E.I, etc.—but admission and tours are free. :shrug:

~*~Rosalind~*~

***Sic transit gloria mundi.***

[BattementCloche]

I have not had a chance to come on for a few days, but on Friday the 12th, right after the 4:00 news, I dashed to the computer and typed this up in a document, to be posted the next chance I got. So, here it is:

"CUTS TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS AND ARTS & CULTURE HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY THE COUNCIL REVIEWING THE BUDGET PLAN FOR 2004!!!

Taxes will be raised, the three library branches chosen for execution at the guillotine will NOT be closed, and funding to the arts SHALL NOT BE CUT!!!

I am so overjoyed right now I feel like writing in bold, italic, underlined capitals. Many thanks to the budget council!!! Perhaps it was the demonstrations outside city hall that did it...if 5,000 people wearing black and waving signs that said DEATH TO FUNDING MEANS DEATH TO CHIARELLI!, I would vote agains the cuts, too--even if I wasn't the person threatened."

:jump: :hyper: :bouncing: :bouncing: :hyper: :jump:

[Mel Johnson]

A good lesson for Americans! Here's a people who will demonstrate for their right to "pay as you go". Politics isn't ALL about tax cuts, it has a lot to do with the people freely expressing their opinion that the government should do for them what they cannot easily do for themselves, and expecting to pay for it, too. Good for the sensible people of Ottawa! And in light of The Nation's Capital as de facto The Nation's Host, generous of them, too!