Arts bill fails again

For the umpteenth year in a row we have failed to get a bill out of the Legislature that shifts the funding streams around to fund 4Culture, King County’s arts funding arm. Every year everyone with a funding idea gloms onto the bill and we can’t get all of them passed. This year we had the following groups wanting to be part of the proposal:

  • Low-income housing
  • Community preservation and Development Association
  • Husky Stadium rebuild
  • Safeco field maintenance
  • Key Arena
  • Public health/human services

There were a few more I can’t remember. Each one of these items has detractors/enemies and the combination is such that the bill can’t move. I got a bill out of the House, but it got stuck in the Senate. The Senate bill that came over to the House didn’t work either.

Next year I’m trying something different. I’ll work with King County leadership to try to identify a way to do this that doesn’t make everyone crazy. This remains one of my biggest frustrations. I’m open to suggestions.

Author: Ross

I am the Director of the Department of Early Learning for Washington State. I formerly represented the 48th Legislative District in the State House of Representatives, chairing the Appropriations committee and spent many a year at Microsoft.