Letter: Arts not the role of government
Hilton Head Island Town Council member Kim Likins’ recent opinion piece is just a rationalization. Having sat on civic panels and committees, I’ve never seen a consultant’s report that didn’t support the expenditure of taxpayer dollars.
It is not the role of town government to underwrite the arts, or sports for that matter.
The false promises of the citizens group that committed to raise money for the Sailing and Rowing Center is a testament to that canard.
If the arts community wants to have an arts center, it should demonstrate a vital constituency that can raise half the funding for the center. It hasn’t in the past and I doubt is will now. That would be the only reason to fund the project. Currently this is specious public policy. The true nature of this impending financial disaster is putting civic dollars in private pockets.
Anthony R. DePaolo
Hilton Head Island
This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Letter: Arts not the role of government."