Each year about this time, as Lansing budget-cutters sharpen their axes, leaders in the arts and culture community wonder how long they’ll be able to hold on to a precious few million in state tax dollars spent each year on community concert houses, and grants for concerts, visiting artists, and cultural festivals.
And each year, many famous performers and professional athletes earn millions from Michigan fans while Michigan sees less than fair benefit from many of their performances.
In fact, a state audit several years ago suggested Michigan collected taxes from only about half of the famous entertainers visiting the state for shows before adoring fans.
A longstanding proposal in the state Senate would change all that. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo, would earmark entertainer/athlete tax collections for investment in Michigan arts and culture programs. And, the bill would require the Michigan Department of Treasury to track, report (and, presumably, do a better job of collecting) income derived in Michigan by non-resident entertainers and athletes.
Michigan arts and culture wins with a steadier stream of income. Michigan businesses and citizen taxpayers win because they’d get help paying for one of state government’s many financial obligations. Michigan as a whole wins because healthy arts and culture leads to healthy communities better capable of attracting and retaining talented professionals.
Is this the kind of tax everyone in Michigan could get behind?
One Comment
Why is every thought on funding the arts in this state always structured around trying to find someone OTHER than the citizens of Michigan paying for them? This idea would cap art support and not hold up against inflation. Moreover it reduces the need for the accountability of arts organizations when the average citizen is not funding it themselves.
We have 5 wonderful lakes, numerous parks, police forces, prisons, and fire departments that are funded by the taxed resources of Michigan citizens. Our natural resources are used to attract new residents and businesses to the state. Our arts and cultural organizations are resources that can attract those same things but they need to supported and promoted as well as we tell others about Michigan fishing and boating. If we see the worth in attracting highly skilled individuals,then we might want to find a way we can sustain our art and cultural offerings with a growing fund, not one that could be limited.