September 23, 2003

NEW YORK STATE Member Money UPDATE

The status and outlook for Member money is of great interest across the State. So you will be pleased to know there is some progress. The Senate returned to Albany last week and among several things accomplished was the “budget clean-up bill” that allots $100 million for member money for legislators and $70 million for the Governor.

The Assembly is scheduled to return on October 8, when it is anticipated that the so-called “clean-up bill” will be considered for passage. The bill clarifies several sections of the $93 billion budget that passed in May over the Governor’s veto.

In addition, the Senate also passed an environmental bill that had already been passed by the Assembly in June. It restores the Superfund cleanup of toxic sites and begins setting the rules for reclamation of more than 10,000 “brownfield” sites around the state.

The Senate did nothing to resolve the controversy over re-financing NYC’s debt, leaving considerable pressure there with a $500 million hole in the budget.

FEDERAL UPDATES

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7, its package of incentives for charitable giving, on Wednesday, September 17, by a vote of 408 to 13. However, it does not include the income tax deduction for artists' donations of their work, though it does include the IRA rollover provision and the deduction for taxpayers who do not itemize. The bill now goes to a House-Senate conference committee. We will need to persuade the committee to accept the Senate version with respect to the artist deduction.

On Sept 17 the Senate began floor debate on the FY 2004 Interior Appropriations bill. It is not expected that there will be an amendment to increase NEA funding, since the amendment to increase museum funding failed earlier this month on the Senate floor. The NEA's ultimate funding level for FY 2004 will be resolved by a conference with the House, which has approved a $10 million increase.

On September 16, the House approved by voice vote a reauthorization bill for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Senate had already approved an identical version. Thus, a House-Senate conference will be unnecessary, and the bill goes straight to the President for his signature. The bill also included upward revisions in the liability limits for the federal art indemnity program, which helps to insure museum exhibitions that include works from foreign lenders. Substantial increases in insurance costs after September 11 made these revisions especially timely.

The Senate Commerce-Justice-State appropriations subcommittee increased the total budget for the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which runs the international cultural exchange programs. A State can use some of the increase for cultural exchange. It also zeroed funding that the administration had requested to cover the cost of re-entering UNESCO. The House bill, conversely, contains full UNESCO funding but no increase for the Bureau Educational and Cultural Affairs. These issues also will have to be resolved in conference.

Judith K. Weiner
Executive Director
Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations
631-298-1234 fax 631-298-1101
www.thealliancenys.org

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations has a 28-year history as New York's primary service association for community based arts and cultural organizations. The Alliance provides leadership and vision, and delivers services, resources and tools that strengthen community cultural organizations. The Alliance monitors, informs and mobilizes the field on statewide and national issues affecting the arts and assists local arts agencies in building community support and developing effective grassroots public policy.

245 Love Lane, P.O. Box 96
Mattituck, NY 11952-0096
Phone (631) 298-1234 / Fax (631) 298-1101