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A bill that would extend funding for King County arts and heritage programs may not make it through the Legislature this session. If it doesn’t, advocates say county cultural programs could take a devastating hit. March 5 was the deadline for bills to move out of caucus and on to final votes. Among the bills that didn’t make it was a measure to extend a major source of county arts funding. As it stands now, King County cultural groups get a share of a tax on hotel and motel rooms, but that funding is scheduled to end in 2012. Two bills were introduced this legislative session to extend the lodging tax revenue stream. Jim Kelly directs 4Culture, the independent agency that oversees distribution of the lodging tax to arts and heritage groups. Kelly says if nothing is done to revive the lodging tax bill this session, arts advocates will go back to Olympia next year. Last year 4Culture gave out about $4.5 million to 500 arts groups, artists, and groups. Jim Kelly says if the lodging tax revenues dry up in 2012, that will mean an 80 percent decrease in cultural funding in King County.
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