SYRACUSE -- When it comes to the arts in Onondaga County, everything from music to museums will likely need to make their case for funding.
Last year the Onondaga County Legislature decided that instead of supporting many arts groups with taxpayer money, a new cultural resources trust (CRT) would decide which groups got how much.
A new proposed amendment to the county budget by the ways and means committee wants all arts groups, including Jazzfest, The M.O.S.T. and the new Syracuse Philharmonic to go to the CRT for money. The ways and means committee of the legislature is recommending a one time payment to the Cultural Resources Council of $932,000 to help support several organizations.
"With all due respect to the politicians in the county legislature. We can set up the funding stream and we're good at that but we really feel the experts should decide on which organizations really need the funding," said Onondaga County Legislator Kevin Holmquist.
The money will come from a tax on hotel rooms, not property taxes.
Thanks to the bowling championships and other events, the county brought in more money from room and sales taxes than they projected.
That could be good news for the cultural resources trust. Holmquist says the CRT didn't bring in enough money on its own to provide basic funding to many organizations so this one time payment can help fill the gap.
"This year the best answer is the room occupancy tax money that we have to give to the CRT, cultural recourses trust, and that will enable them to fund everybody that needs funding this year," said Holmquist.
Holmquist says the CRT needs to be self sustaining for the long run and can not count on additional money from the county every year.
There will be a public hearing on the proposed budget on October 6th and the Legislature is expected to vote on it on October 11th.
