Lawmakers might find it easy to brush aside art programs to balance a gloomy state budget. But a lack of creativity could prove more costly to the state's future than any $1.7-billion deficit if it becomes the price-slashing norm in Lansing.
On March 6, Gov. Jennifer Granholm suggested the Legislature cut state art grants by 50 percent - from $23.6 million to $11.8 million - in 2004 to help compensate for Michigan's financial woes.
The governor's proposal could prove deadly for many famed cultural attractions in the East Lansing area, such as the Great Lakes Folk Festival, East Lansing Film Festival and MSU Museum.
But the East Lansing community wouldn't be the only losers if Michigan virtually amputates the art funding. Melancholy could soon become the state mood.
It is understandable that no state program is safe from budget cuts in light of such a monstrous budget shortfall.
But lawmakers should be leery of slashing every expense they label a "luxury," which seems to be the case with higher education and art funding thus far.
Sometimes it seems easy to hack funding from programs whose worth cannot be easily measured in a quantitative way, such as art. But what might be easy to do isn't always what is best.
Art and cultural programs are more than nice pastimes for well-developed societies - they are avenues in which progress is made.
Michigan's youth deserve to benefit from all the fruits of education. And that means the fine arts cannot be viewed as mere extras.
Art is as vital as math, science and language programs in helping children learn to communicate within their environment. Michigan should be sure to ensure its educational systems work to produce people, not machines.
One reason art programs seem like such easy budget-trimming targets is because they often seem easy to privatize.
Like high schools that are requiring students to pay to play sports, residents can easily be expected to pay to paint, per se.
But what about those without the cash? The state has responsibilities.
In her State of the State Address, Granholm correctly accessed that the burden of Michigan's budget woes need to be laid across the shoulders of all residents. That should mean broad cuts, even to "luxury" items, should only be made under extreme scrutiny.
Lawmakers should be careful to make sure certain aspects of Michigan life are not carrying the brunt of a $1.7-billion deficit.
If every member of our society is to share the burden of bad economic times equally, lawmakers need to be sure they are being creative when finding ways to manage Michigan's finances.
Lawmakers should be weary of hacking budgetary limbs in broad strokes. The state of Michigan's finances would be better served through more detailed and meticulous efforts.
