Posted on 03/20/2013 7:31:04 AM PDT by TurboZamboni
Minnesota taxpayers paid for trips to places like Bora Bora, Costa Rica and New Zealand and all of the trips were for artists. State records show the Minnesota Arts Board dished out 114 grants under the Artists' Initiative program between 2009 and 2013. The money went to artists who traveled to 40 countries and 20 different states. The program spent $5.6 million in that time with 15 percent of the trips overseas. The Arts Board tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the money is not from the voter-approved Legacy Fund. The Arts Board says it comes from the state's general fund because Legacy Fund money can only be spent on projects in Minnesota.
(Excerpt) Read more at kstp.com ...
Well then, I guess that makes it OK.
Your tax dollars at play.
Why do the hard-working tax payers of this country permit this kind of sh*t to go on?
“Hardship inspires our creative juices flowing.”
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They could have given me $1000 and a week in the UP and I would take all the pictures they could handle.
Why should a nineteen year old from a poor family working 50 hours a week at MacDonald’s be taxed so that a young woman from a privileged family can take a junket to Tahiti, when he can’t afford to vacation in Fort Walton Beach? Especially when she looks down her nose at him, and considers herself his intellectual, moral and sexual inferior.
So people wearing tiny glasses and with their radio stuck on MPR can lecture us about the arts and why we should be ‘happy to pay more’.
Why do the hard-working tax payers of this country permit this kind of sh*t to go on?”
...because they continue to get those “whopping” “refunds” from the IRS every April. Few pay attention to the taxed paycheck. Most salivate about their $400 whatever refund.
Melissa Loop-Anderson got $10,000 in taxpayer money to go to Tahiti and "research and gather materials for a body of work that will focus on colonialism and subjugation through the military and tourist industry."
Minnesota taxpayers paid her to be a tourist in Tahiti so she could gather information about how the Tahitians suffer under tourism.
The worst part is that every funding cut is coupled with an increase one way or another.
My congressman sought a $50 million cut in funding to the endowment for the arts. He got a $20 million cut that was only able to pass with an increase in the annual built in increase.
The Ramaswamy family made out like bandits. Three dancers, six trips totalling $52,000. India, Switzerland, Bali - how grand to have friends in high places.
Also known as patrons, who USED to fund artists with their OWN damn money.
This crap undercuts the rest of us who try to do our thing the honest way.
Seems to be a pattern for Ms. Loop:
Received the Vanderlip Travel Grant for Fine Arts. Grant is awarded to the most promising student upon graduation.
Free trips y’all!
The State of Minnesota is facing over a $1 billion budget shortfall, but of course Governor Dayton is looking to new taxes and certainly won’t seek cuts in these “vital” programs.
Here are a lot more “research” trips. I wonder how many were government funded? Typical “non profit” liberal scammer.
http://myheartisanomad.blogspot.com/
yeah. I laughed at the TV when Jay said that last night.
our state really is run by a bunch of a-holes.
“Legacy Fund”- the legacy is waste,fraud,debt and stupidity.
I automatically don’t trust anyone with a hyphenated last name.
You got that right, th Up is absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite places. MN BWCA would have ben just as cheap and maybe these artist could really get a taste of what mn has to offer the world in terms of real beauty. . it could lead to actual art instead of a crucifix in urine
Anytime the government subsidizes something it depresses the private sector version of the same thing.
Well, gee, I’m a MN artist, why didn’t I know about this? :)
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