No new arts funding deal

Rumors of a new deal to end City Council's debate over arts funding are not true, says Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell.



His plan to give $800,000 each to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati History Museum and Music Hall should pass Wednesday on third reading and with five votes, he said today. That plan also calls for $600,000 for smaller arts organizations to share. That money also would pay for the Taste of Cincinnati and other festivals and parades.



Arts supporters are doing an e-mail campaign to try to get as many artists and arts activists as possible at Tuesday's finance committee meeting, 4 p.m. in council chambers.



The battle over this money has been the most contentious at City Hall in months, with last week's council meeting full of heated comments, including Leslie Ghiz saying she was fed up with the "blinding" halo over John Cranley.



Those who oppose Tarbell's plan - Jeff Berding, Chris Bortz, Laketa Cole and Ghiz - say it goes against the promise they feel was made when all nine signed the budget late last year. In the budget, it says $4 million goes for arts capital funding - not $3.8 million, and not any money for parades and festivals.