Message from Calgary Alliance of Community Theatres encouraging Calgarians to complete a survey telling city council what is important to its citizens when deciding where the city’s tax dollars are spent.
“We have a Mayor who has demonstrated support for the Arts in our City. We need to remind him that he is not alone.”

Hello Everyone

There was a recent meeting for Arts Organizations discussing  the current City Budget process. (See Saturdays Herald-pg D3) The City is looking for input from it’s citizens so this is an opportunity to not only inform the mandarins of what you consider a priority for the City to look after, but to also remind them that the Arts are important to you and should not be cast aside in a potential era of fiscal restraint. The bureaucrats are threatening 20-24+% property tax increase. Posturing? Softening us up? Who knows but usually funding to the Arts, which brings in millions of dollars in economic activity to the City, usually gets cast aside first.

We have a Mayor who has demonstrated support for the Arts in our City. We need to remind him that he is not alone.

Please go to www.allourideas.org/calgarycityservices  and complete the survey.

You should first check out the “Budget Kit Booklet” it gives you info about what services are done and how much they are costing the city.
      Then click on the “follow the link” in the “did you attend a recent forum” paragraph. It’s a bit convoluted but you should be able to find your way to the surveys. The other survey is an “ether/or” style survey which is interesting and annoying in it’s evident bias. But maybe that is me.

The deadline for submission is April 22 so, please  find yourself some time to give the city some feedback about what works & what needs improvement and don’t forget to let them know that you are a supporter of the Arts in Calgary and you want the City to support the Arts as well.

Cheers
      Bill Torrie
      President
      Calgary Alliance of Community Theatres