Hey Yupette,
I attended tonight's Chamber of Commerce County Board County Board candidates debate (which cost $25 to attend). Audrey Clement won the debate.
Spoke with a number of corporate movers and shakers and it appears a deal is being negotiated to save the Artisphere, as long as Arlington's taxpayers don't have to pay for the Artisphere's operation after June 30th. Closing the Artisphere WOULD be a loss because Arlington's sheeple taxpayers were reportedly fleeced for $7 million to pay for conversion from the Newseum, and the Artisphere is impeccably maintained. Depending on who you speak with in County Government the Artisphere cost Arlington's taxpayers $10 million to $15 million in operating expenses over the past 5 years and has never been in the black, although Economic Development has operated the Artisphere the past 3 years.
Although the wealthy performing arts crowd is lobbying the County to bail out the Artisphere again, that's unlikely to happen after the County Board voted to sell the Reeves Farm farmhouse last week. So the performing arts elite are going to have to dig into their own pockets for once to keep their party going. Of course all contributions by local fat cats to keep the Artisphere open are tax deductible, but the County's Limo Liberal and Country Club Republican Elites are notorious misers who are constantly looking for corporate welfare handouts from the County. So stay tuned for the details of the Artisphere rescue deal.
Ted - 22207
19 comments:
Ask Arlington's First Performing Arts Couple, Jay Fisette and Rob Rosen, to write a check.
Ask the Chamber's Board of Directors to write checks.
Where was Chamber of Commerce Booster, Scott McCaffrey?
Complaining about having to replace his home's antiquated AC system.
Ask $tephen $ondheim to write a check, he's worth $1 billion.
You should have seen the Artisphere the first couple of years after it opened, when Parks and Rec managed it. The taxpayer $$$ and wine flowed like Four Mile Run during a tropical storm.
Pretty sad when the African American candidates outnumber the African-American Chamber members in the audience.
Arlington Chamber of Commerce President Katie Roche denies the Chamber is racist and elitist.
Audrey Clement won the Q and A forum.
The dance floor in the Artisphere's ballroom must have cost $500,000 to install.
Jay Fisette attended the Q and A forum last night and was told point blank that he and his richey rich friends should pay the tab for their partying at the Artisphre from now on.
The Arlington Elite should pass the hat...Chamber of Commerce, Committee of 100, Boards of Directors of the various performing arts groups, etc.
If the Chamber can get a VIP Media Celebrity to moderate its candidate Q & A session last night, Limo Liberal and Country Club Republican Elites can get a VIP Media Celebrity to Emcee a big fundraiser for the Artisphere.
Philanthropy? What is Philanthropy?
Yes, Arlington is run by Scrooges and Misers who are always on the lookout for handouts from the County aka taxpayers.
Thumbs Up to Audrey Clement last night who told the Chamber and the Artisphere's management that if the richey-riches want to keep the Artisphere afloat they, not Arlington's sheeple taxpayers, are going to have to pay for it.
Yes, they can pay for their own partying from now on.
Wealthy performing arts groupies are complaining that John Vihstadt won't bail out the Artisphere. Well, he and the County Board just bailed out the Signature to the tune of at least $20 million over 20 years. How much more can we give the performing arts?
THIS sheeple taxpayer does not want ONE DIME MORE of our tax dollars to fund Arlington's wealthy performing arts groups.
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