Time to Advocate for Amendments to the House Budget!
Calling All Advocates!
Now that the MA House of Representatives has released its proposed FY2018 budget, it’s important to advocate now for funding increases for our arts and cultural institutions. Making calls to your representative takes minimal time and effort, and the upside is, they’ll be so glad to hear from you!
See our recent FY2018 budget posts here, here, and here.
How you can advocate on the House proposed budget
MALC is calling on everyone to contact their State Representatives to sign on to the House Budget amendments listed below. Representatives have until noon on Thursday to file their amendments and for other Representatives to co-sponsor/sign on to the amendments.
First, you need to find out who your State Representative is:
How to find out who your State Representative is:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.aspx
(Note – even if you know the phone number of your State Representative, many have moved their offices since last year, so it is best to check if you still have the right phone number – emails will be the same)
Second, your need to know what House Budget Amendments to advocate for:
Here is a link so you can follow its progress of the amendments filed:
https://malegislature.gov/Budget/HouseDebate
For the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Tourism:
Representative Cory Atkins has filed the following amendments for the Tourism and the MCC:
(Please note that her office wants fellow Representatives to sign on using the LAWS system rather than call/email her office to sign on.)
For the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC): Amendment #6 seeks to restore and increase the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s line item 0640-0300
For Tourism: Amendment #39 for line item 7008-1000 for the regional tourism councils (line item restoration, i.e., to restore their funding)
For the Libraries:
a. Representative Kate Hogan is filing two amendments (they have not been filed as of yet so we don’t have an amendment number for them – use the line item number when contacting your Representative). Her office wishes Representatives who want to sign on to these amendments to contact her office directly via phone, or email Courtney Rainey in her office: Courtney.Rainey@mahouse.gov
i. 7000-9501, State Aid to Public Libraries – $627,412 Increase
Libraries use state aid funds to meet the needs of local residents including keeping libraries open, purchasing computers and running homework centers and job-search workshops. As long as libraries are certified in the State Aid to Public Libraries Program, residents can use any public library and access resources from the entire state. An increase in funding will give public libraries an onramp to participate in the new eBook system and keep current with technology.
“…move to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7000-9501 by striking out the figures “$9,500,000” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$10,127,412”.
ii. 7000-9508, Massachusetts Center for the Book – Line Item Restoration
The Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) is a public-private partnership charged with raising funds to develop, support and promote programming for libraries throughout the Commonwealth. By restoring funding to the FY17 level, the MCB is able to sponsor programming that expands our circle of readers and that deepens our understanding of and appreciation for the past, present and future of the book and of the book arts in Massachusetts; it emphasizes the central role libraries play in civic and cultural life.
“…move to amend the bill in section 2 by inserting after item 7000-9506 the following item: “7000-9508 For the Massachusetts Center for the Book, Inc., chartered as the Commonwealth Affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress; provided, that the Massachusetts Center for the Book, Inc. shall continue its work as a public-private partnership…………………………….…………………………………$250,000”
b. Representative Byron Rushing is filing one amendment (it has not been files as of yet so we don’t have an amendment number for it – use the line item number when contacting your Representative). His office wants Representatives who wish to sign on to these amendments to contact his office directly via phone.
i. He will file an amendment for line item 7000-9401 for State Aid to Regional Public Libraries
c. Representative Paul Brodeur is filing one amendment (it has not been files as of yet so we don’t have an amendment number for it- use the line item number when contacting your Representative). His office wants Representatives who wish to sign on to these amendments to contact his office directly via phone.
i. He will file an amendment for line item 7000-9506 For the technology and automated resource sharing network
d. Representative Mary Keefe is filing three amendments (they have not been filed as of yet so we don’t have an amendment number for them – use the line item number when contacting your Representative). Her office wishes Representatives who wish to sign on to these amendments to contact her office directly via phone or email. She will file budget amendments for the following Library line items:
i. 7000-9101 For the operation of the board of library commissioners
ii. 7000-9402 For the talking book library at the Worcester public library
iii. 7000-9406 For the Braille and talking book library in the city known as the town of Watertown