Get Your Vote On! MALC’s Analysis of Gubernatorial Candidate Evan Falchuk’s Campaign/Policy Platforms
As part of MALC’s Get Your Vote On! blog series, we are taking the time to look closely at the campaign platforms of four of the five candidates running for governor*. (MALC did not reach out to the Lively/Saunders Campaign.)
Members of the MALC Steering Committee met with these four candidates for Governor earlier this year and shared our policy vision** for our sector with them. We urge everyone in our community to take the time to become familiar with the candidates’ platforms, then vote in the November 4th General elections.
Your vote really matters on this very tight governor’s race!
(To find out where to vote: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.aspx)
Today we’re analyzing Candidate Evan Falchuk’s arts policy platform:
Candidate info:
Evan Falchuk (United Independent Party)
Campaign Website: www.Falchuk2014.org
Candidate Falchuk’s guest blog for MALC: http://wp.me/p2W9Iu-11n
Running Mate: Lt. Governor Candidate: Angus Jennings
Answered Lt. Governor MALC questionnaire (PDF): http://www.artistsunderthedome.org/Jennings.pdf
Campaign website: http://www.angus4lg.org/
1. Does the candidate have a specific policy/issues platform for our sector?
Yes. Candidate Falchuk was the first candidate in the Governor’s race to mention our sector in his issues platform. You can view it at his website under the section titled The Arts: http://www.falchuk2014.org/whatwebelieve (Wednesday,October 29th, 11 a.m. – MALC will update this blog post if Candidate Falchuk alters or adds to his policy.)
This is the full arts platform on his campaign website:
The Arts
We believe that artisans of all kinds drive economic growth by making our communities into something more than just places with a collection of shops and restaurants. By bringing their individuality and creativity, they transform communities into places where something is “going on,” where interesting, unpredictable and unexpected things are created and happen. The interplay between this kind of energy and the business community is the kind of thing that makes people want to live in and be a part of thriving, dynamic communities.
The creative arts also must play a more important role in the way we educate our kids. It is important to learn the skills that a STEM-based curriculum teaches, but the greatest set of tools we can give students are the skills of critical thinking, independence, resilience and “grit” – the belief that they can overcome any obstacle they face. The creative arts are one of the most powerful ways to teach students these skills. Unfortunately, programs of creative arts have been significantly cut in recent years. It is critical to re-assess the state’s Chapter 70 funding formula to reflect the realities of educating students in the second decade of the 21st century, including the need for increased funding for creative arts education. We strongly support efforts to transform STEM to STEAM.
This is certainly a good sign and a good start. Candidate Falchuk deserves commendation for being the first candidate in the race for Governor to release an arts and culture policy. However, MALC would like to see more than two paragraphs. We would like to see Candidate Falchuk expand his arts platform, and indeed, all the areas of his policy. The more detailed and comprehensive the policy laid out before a candidate is elected, the better.
2. Does the candidate specifically mention our sector in any of their other policy platforms?
Yes. Candidate Falchuk does in his Transportation/Infrastructure platform:
Repairing and maintaining our existing infrastructure should be our highest transportation priority. Providing for the long-term maintenance of our infrastructure requires a serious, long-term vision and financing plan. Taking this on is our responsibility for now and for future generations. A statewide vision is in order. The western part of our state is underserved by our current public transportation system. New passenger rail service from Springfield to Hartford can strengthen the economy and cultural vibrancy of the Commonwealth, but transportation cannot be viewed in a vacuum. Comprehensive planning policy is needed in order to ensure that communities in the Pioneer Valley, Worcester County and the Berkshires fully benefit from positive returns on this major public infrastructure investment. (Emphasis added by MALC — ed).
3. Analyze the candidate’s other platforms and their “news/press/update” sections of their website to assess how their policies may impact and/or could be leveraged to impact our sector:
Several of Candidate Falchuk’s platforms are worth noting:
The following items are welcome but should be expanded to address the needs of artists of all disciplines, the arts/cultural community and the creative economy as noted below (MALC comments in green):
Excerpt from the Job Creation platform:
Affordable housing, the foundation of a thriving economy in any state. The Falchuk-Jennings Administration will recognize the need to increase the production of housing of every variety – crucial for our ability to retain and grow a vibrant workforce and competitive businesses.
Such an initiative needs to specifically include artists, artists live work spaces, artist Co-Op housing, and all Co-Op housing.
Excerpt from the Housing and Thriving Communities platform:
The Falchuk-Jennings Administration will recognize the need to increase the production of housing of every variety, including affordable and modestly priced workforce housing, multi-family housing, transit-oriented development, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. Many examples exist – but not enough. Housing costs are a real constraint on businesses’ ability to expand, and create real hardships for Massachusetts families.
Again, such an initiative needs to specifically include artists, artists live work spaces, artist Co-Op housing, and all Co-Op housing.
Excerpt from the Proposed Expansion of the Boston Convention Center platform:
Second, 44,000 kids under age five in Massachusetts don’t have access to early childhood education; funding this would cost a fraction of the $1 billion being spent on convention space. Third, consider senior citizens in Massachusetts. Too many of them face bankruptcy or financial hardship paying for nursing home care and expensive prescription drugs. Consider how many could be helped by even a fraction of that billion dollars proposed to expand the Boston Convention Center.
We applaud spending more on early childhood education. Candidate Falchuk touches upon this initiative within the context of his opposition to expanding the Boston Convention Center, but regardless, adequate funding for the education of children is of paramount importance.
We would like to see him commit specifically to supporting and funding arts education, and to moving from STEM to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math),
Excerpt from the Valuing Our 65+ Population platform:
Over 90% of adults 65 and over want to “age in place” in their own homes and neighborhoods, AARP has found. Because of this, we will focus on improving our outdated housing policy so more people are able to stay in their own homes. We have proposed a detailed Thriving Communities Action Plan that will fundamentally change the way states work with towns and cities, for the better. Right now, the interests of the states and communities on the local level are unaligned, because of policies dating back to the 1970’s. This type of thinking is outdated and in need of reform. This is the first step to making sure people can afford to stay in their own homes and neighborhoods.
This needs to specifically include artists, addressing the age bias in our sector, and supporting the state’s master artists.
Source: http://www.falchuk2014.org/whatwebelieve
*MALC invited four of the five candidates for Governor to guest blog and the candidates will be featured in reverse alphabetical order:
Tuesday, October 28th Candidate Jeff McCormick
Wednesday, Oct. 29th Candidate Evan Falchuk
Thursday, October 30th Candidate Martha Coakley
Friday, October 31st Candidate Charlie Baker
We are using the following format and questions for all the posts analyzing their policy platforms:
List the Candidate’s name, party affiliation (if any), link to their campaign website, link to their guest blog (if they sent one), list their Lt. Governor’s website and their MALC answered Lt. Governor’s questionnaire.
- Does the candidate have a specific policy/issues platform for our sector?
- Does the candidate specifically mention our sector in any of their other policy platforms?
- Analyze the candidate’s other platforms and their “news/press/update” sections of their website to assess how their policies may impact and/or could be leveraged to impact our sector.
**MALC’s full policy platform:
MALC’s Policy Summary:
MALC believes that a serious arts, culture, and creative economy policy must be fully integrated throughout all of the Commonwealth’s policies, programs and initiatives and should also foster cross departmental and agency cooperation. MALC recommends that the next governor’s chief policy adviser be tasked with integration of these policies and that the next governor and their administration address the following four key areas:
1: Artists’ Rights, Artist Retention, and Ensuring the Commonwealth’s Artists Thrive
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to fair trade standards and equitable dealing for artists of all disciplines, along with all those who create intellectual property. This dealing should encompass artists’ work arrangements, fair trade practices, living conditions, tax liability, representation on government boards and agencies, and health and wellness promotion/disaster mitigation.
2: Support and Fund Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to increasing/stabilizing funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Cultural Facilities fund, the Cultural Districts program, the Creative Economy Council, the Gateway Cities initiative, the state library system, and Mass Humanities. MALC would also like the next governor to focus on growing the creative economy, including the film and video game sectors.
3: Support and Fund Arts Education on All Levels and For All Ages
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to moving from STEM to STEAM in all state education programs and initiatives, and to increase and/or continue funding for the arts in schools, the Massachusetts College of Art & Design, arts education communities, community centers, libraries, and elder centers. MALC would also like the governor to support teaching artists as well as and the integration, inclusion, and access of the arts for all residents.
4: Establish New and Needed Programs and Initiatives
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to funding a state poet laureate position, implementing the percent for public art and cultural diplomacy programs, rebranding the Commonwealth, and launching a “Created in Massachusetts” campaign.
***Science, Technology, Engineering Arts and Math
MALC does not endorse candidates for office, but seeks to provide needed and timely information about candidates’ platforms and policies that impact artists of all disciplines, the art, and cultural and creative economies. Nor does MALC take positions on the statewide ballot questions.