You Can't Fight City Hall

I attended a City Council meeting this evening. No, I haven't lost my mind, or gone in search of a sopophoric.

It was Proclamation Time. When the City acknowledges our 25 years of service to the community, and cuts our funding by 30%. It was actually two separate issues that just happened to come up at the same meeting.

There are four places that get this money: Fiesta Amistad, a once-a-year street party designed to make the Hispanic community think the city cares about them, the Palm House Museum, which is an old dog-run cabin that lurks next to the Library, and opens up into a huge Chamber of Commerce in the back, the Community Choir, and the Sam Bass Community Theatre. The money comes from the Hotel Tax, and the hotel owners understandably want their tax money going to support entities that will fill their rooms.

None of the above recipients does that. The one thing that fills rooms is the Round Rock Express, a double A baseball team that is owned by Nolan Ryan.

There is an appointed commission that recommends amounts to be awarded to each of the four applicants. The recommendations were that all the applicants for the money, with the excepting of the museum, get less funding than they applied for. The Choir gets 25% less, and Amistad's allotment is to be slashed by a huge amount, and we are to be cut by 30%. They didn't tell us who was on the commission, but did say that there was a representative of the Choir, and the Express.

We feel that we should be funded because we contribute to the quality of life in this community. We are the only live theater in a town of over 65,000. We need to do some expensive renovations to our buildings, our sound system, and our air conditioner. We need to add an office/laundry room.

One member of the Council is also a member of the theater. Hopefully, he'll be able to help nudge the grant amount up a bit from the commission's recommendation. If not, our membership fees will have to go up, or ticket prices.