Friday, March 2, 2018

     In TED Budget Conference meeting this morning, the House made offer #2.  The House now recommends $5 million for Cultural and Museum Grants and as reported, the Senate recommends $203,985.  Neither the House or Senate recommend appropriations to fund the Culture Builds Florida Grants or Cultural Facilities Grants or Cultural Endowment Program State Matches.

     The TED budget conference committee will not meet again and the unresolved issues will be bumped up to leadership to resolve the differences.

     There are a number of legislative projects listed under the Division of Cultural Affairs; some have been agreed to, others not.  Leadership will decide.  To review, go to pages 4 and 5.  The line items that are highlighted in gray are agreed to by both the House and Senate.  Those not highlighted in gray are still open items.

   

     Please continue to call these legislative leaders' Tallahassee offices and email them now and until we ask you to stop:

Senate President Joe Negron
Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran
Senate Chairman of Appropriations Rob Bradley
House Chairman of Appropriations Carlos Trujillo

TED Budget Chairman Clay Ingram

TED Budget Vice Chairman Wilton Simpson

     Their Tallahassee phone numbers and email addresses are on pages 1 and two of this  leadership  document.

     Ask them to please RESTORE the appropriations needed to invest in these Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) matching grants' programs.

     You decide which of the grants' programs mean the most to you and to your community and ask for restoration of its appropriation:

Cultural and Museum Matching Grants or

Culture Builds Florida Matching Grants or 

Cultural Facilities Grants

     Let them know this investment provides meaningful connections for adults and children, supports jobs, and generates a 9 to 1 return to local and state government treasuries.

     Be respectful and thank them and their staff for their time.

      

     Thank you for your continued advocacy efforts.  Please do not give up.  It's not over until it's over.  Keep the communications going with both Senate and House leadership listed above.