SACRAMENTO – Twenty California lawmakers are joining State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) to call for a $110 million budget allocation to provide financial assistance to nonprofit arts organizations committed to a just and equitable economic recovery.
“California’s arts sector took one of the biggest hits of any industry during the pandemic,” Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez said. “This much-needed funding would ensure arts organizations that abide by our state’s labor laws have the assistance they need to bounce back from this crisis and get back to serving their communities.”
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the unemployment rate fell 6.4% for the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry between February and March of 2020. Surveys conducted by the California Arts Council found an estimated average of $193,642 revenue loss per organization in March 2020.
Under the budget proposal, the one-time funds would be administered by the California Arts Council through a grant program. The grants would be distributed to arts organizations in compliance with AB 5 and could cover labor and operating expenses, including administrative payroll costs, wages, workers’ compensation, and other expenditures related to compliance with California’s labor laws.
The request is backed by a host of lawmakers, including Assemblymembers Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Sr. (D-South Los Angeles), Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-San Diego), Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego), Luz Rivas (D-Arleta), Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys), Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton), Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), Alex Lee (D-San Jose), Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay), Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), Marc Levine (D-Marin County), Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), and Senators Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco), and Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys).
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez represents California’s 80th Assembly District, located in southern San Diego County, including the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City. She serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Latina Inequities. For more information on Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, visit http://asm.ca.gov/gonzalez
2 comments
This may be the funniest thing I have ever read. Apparently, these law makers have to much time on there hands.
And too many hands in us taxpayers’ wallets. Just what defines an “arts organization” and why is financial support for them a proper use of public funds? If we’re going to spend money, lets spend on things that REALLY have public benefit, like infrastructure and water systems.
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