“Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” Or so said Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., former associate justice of the Supreme Court. Now, we aren’t saying that we should all pay an 80 percent income tax, or even that we have the solution to the endless question of what and how to tax U.S. citizens. But, we do know that Governor Mary Fallin’s proposed executive budget would consolidate five different Oklahoma councils, including the Oklahoma Arts Council, into the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, constituting a 15 percent in funding.
Sure, the programs facilitated by the Oklahoma Arts Council will supposedly still exist but as part of the proposed blanket Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. As described on the Oklahoma Arts Council’s website, “there is no assurance that the arts will be a future priority of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.”
The Oklahoma Arts Council provides grants for arts programs, and 56 percent of its grants go to schools in rural communities and nonprofits, according to the website. The council also facilitates community leadership and development programs and conferences. Fallin’s proposed funding cut wouldn’t just mean that there would be less Oklahoma-produced art hanging on the walls, It means children in rural schools and tribal governments would lose out on art program grants to enhance their communities.
Art makes us better. It allows people to explore and share their experiences as well as develop a sense of community through arts programs. Beyond enriching humanity, the services provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council actually bring revenue to the state. Patrons of arts shows and galas that purchase artwork pay sales taxes and put capital into the community. We believe slashing arts funding to allow a minimal tax cut isn’t worth it.
The supposed motive behind combining the five councils is that it would help allow for a further .25 percent reduction to Oklahoma’s top individual income tax rate, according to the budget.
So let’s get this straight, our governor would like to consolidate and cut funding to arts councils so that Oklahomans can save a few bucks. And when we saw a few, we mean a few.
The current top income tax rate is 5.25 percent, and for singles, the highest rate kicks in for earnings over $8,700. So, the .25 percent reduction would save someone who is single and makes $8,700 a whopping $21.75. As income increases, savings from the proposed cut remain negligible. The average annual wage in Oklahoma is $41, 630, which means you’d save about $104.10 from Fallin’s proposed cut.
We do not believe that such a small real-world reduction in tax rates is worth a 15 percent cut in funding to Oklahoma arts councils, which provide invaluable services across the state. If taxes are the price we pay for civilization, then we believe it is worth losing a Benjamin to maintain arts programs across Oklahoma.
