Bernalillo County voters have to decide whether to approve a 3/16ths of one percent increase in the sales tax (actually a gross receipts tax, but it amounts to the same thing as a sales tax). That’s 19 cents on $100. The increase would raise the overall sales tax in Albuquerque to more than 7%. (The tax does not apply to groceries, which are tax free in New Mexico.)
The effort to get the tax approved is called the Quality of Life Initiative because the funds would go to programs devoted to culture, history, art and science. The income raised would be administered by the county with advice from an appointed Cultural Advisory Board. Various organizations, public and private, would make proposals, the Advisory Board would review the proposals and make recommendations to the County Commission.
NewMexiKen strongly believes there should be public, tax support for “culture.” That stated, I have three concerns about this initiative that MAY result in my voting against it.
First, I object to the use of the sales tax, which even though it excludes groceries, is still a regressive tax. I believe zoos, museums, and the like should be supported by the property tax, or possibly a tourist tax (rental cars, lodging).
Second, I’m uncomfortable with the idea of a Cultural Advisory Board. Who died and left these people in charge? One person’s culture is another person’s excess. I much prefer that elected (and presumed accountable) officials be more directly involved. This arrangement shrieks of potential “behind-the-scenes” favoritism.
Third, here’s a list of potential recipients from the Quality of Live Initiative web site:
Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Public Libraries
Keshet Dance Company
Tricklock Company
New Mexico Holocaust & Intolerance Museum
National Atomic Museum
New Mexico Jazz Workshop
New Mexico Symphony Orchestra
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Once Upon A Theatre
STEPS Dance Academy
Harwood Art Center
Friends of Music
National Dance Institute of New Mexico
Los Reyes de Albuquerque
Working Classroom
Albuquerque BioPark
In fairness, the list is billed as “A Few Examples of How Organizations May Use the Funds.” Still, it seems to me more a list of worthy projects than a list entirely of programs that tax dollars should support.
Help me out here. Are my concerns legitimate? How would you vote?
I think your concerns are legitimate (especially the “advisory board” — committee situations are always ugly — do you know who’s meant to be on this board?), and I agree with your second point, but I’ll still vote for.
The sales tax here is lower than I’m used to paying, and raising it a little to support arts/music/culture is a positive, as far as I’m concerned.
This sounds a lot like the art and cultural facilities tax we’ve been paying in the Denver metro area for a long time. It started because the City and County of Denver was cash poor and city leaders were tired of paying for facilities that were used by the whole metro area. But it has expanded so it doesn’t just fund big ticket things like the zoo and museums — it provides grants for lots of smaller organizations. All in all, I think it is money well spent and that it is probably a good idea for Albuquerque to do the same thing.
Channel 27 has been working with QOLI. Channel 27 sees it as a way of supporting worthy alternatives to commercial TV that enhance and preserve our ability to have our own culture and not the culture that’s sold or handed to us.