BREAKING NEWS
TAKE ACTION NOW
On June 12, Governor Henry McMaster issued 41 budgetary vetoes. Veto #24 eliminates $350,000 from the South Carolina Arts Commission.
Veto #24 Message from the Governor: “This new line item in the budget gives private artists a permanent toehold in the state budget. A better use of these funds would be on classroom education for children.”
These funds would support grants made to over 150 nonprofit arts organizations around the state, professional development for industry leaders, and help reach underserved and rural areas in South Carolina – they are not directed to private individuals. Without these funds, grantees could see as much as a 17% decrease in funds already awarded for FY2018, and therefore they will be unable to provide the same level of service expected by their communities, create and maintain jobs, and provide educational outreach to students and schools.
The funds threatened by this veto were allocated to the SCAC with bipartisan support throughout the budget process, beginning with the House Ways & Means Committee and through adoption in early June by both the full House and full Senate.
The House and Senate will not be returning until January to take up these vetoes, but you should act NOW to ensure your legislator hears from you before they return. A 2/3 majority in both houses is required to override gubernatorial vetoes upon their return to the Statehouse.
Actions You Can Take Now:
Contact Your Legislator
Head over to our Action Center and contact your legislator and encourage them to OVERRIDE Veto #24 upon their return to the Statehouse. Legislators may not take up vetoes until January, 2018, but they need to hear from you NOW before July 1, when the new fiscal year starts. We’ve given you a message to start with, and you can edit it with your own story.
Social Media
1) Click Here to put an “Arts Advocate” sticker on your social media profile picture.
2) Share this article with your friends and fellow arts supporters. Copy/paste the address into your post.
