Gazette.net, 1/6/10
“Lawmakers return to the State House on January 13, and one of the top items on their to-do lists will be to pore over Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget proposal. Current projections show spending exceeding tax revenue by $2 billion. By law, Maryland budgets must balance. ‘We don’t want to see our arts programs deteriorate because of lack of funding,’ said Sen. Rona E. Kramer (D-Olney). ‘It’s going to be very difficult for the governor to put together a budget that tries to maintain everyone. That’s going to be impossible,’ Kramer said. The Maryland State Arts Council, a part of the Department of Business and Economic Development, provided about $13.5 million in grants to arts organizations around the state in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30…[Maryland State Arts Council Executive Director Theresa] Colvin and O’Malley spokesman Shaun Adamec noted that in three rounds of midyear budget cuts in 2009, the arts were spared. Arts jobs are as important to the governor as any other jobs in the state, Adamec said.”
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