Funding the Arts + Culture Alliance is a worthwhile and effective use of our tax dollars | News, Sports, Jobs

On Monday evening, the Marshalltown City Council should enthusiastically approve funding of the Arts + Culture Alliance to implement the Marshalltown Arts and Culture Master Plan. Our Council wisely approved funding for this very purpose one year ago and, due to state legislation changes that resulted in termination of the original source funding, it now has the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the Alliance and to developing our community in the cool, creative, and authentic ways outlined in the Master Plan that will deepen our connection to this place and make us even more proud to call it home.

Opponents have suggested that the City shouldn’t fund the Alliance because it is a non-profit, as if funding one non-profit would somehow obligate the City to fund all of the non-profits in our community. The taxing status of the Alliance should have zero bearing on whether the City should fund this opportunity.

Is investing in the Arts + Culture Alliance to do this work a worthwhile and effective use of our tax dollars? That is the only question. And the answer is yes.

The Alliance has been catalyzing and executing transformational projects throughout Marshalltown for the past decade. The organization has helped to secure millions of dollars in public and private grant funding that were needed to make many of these projects happen. Marshalltown is blessed to have this resource right here in our community and perfectly positioned to drive this important work forward.

This investment in the Arts + Culture Alliance to implement our Arts and Culture Master Plan is likely to yield big positive returns. Not only will the Alliance provide the expert guidance necessary, but its proven ability to secure funding from outside sources makes the expected return on investment a can’t miss. We strongly urge our City Council to (again) fund this important investment in our community’s future.