by Bill Baumbach of The Collin County Observer

If we as a society value our own culture, we can find a way to afford these projects.

North Texas History Center

The big news last week (aside from the elections) was the on again, off again, ready to go, not ready start of construction for the Performance Hall for the Arts of Collin County. Presently the project is in official "go mode," but the Frisco City Council may put the brakes on the project if it approves a second referendum on the bond sales for the hall.

During the same week, the North Texas History Center announced that because of funding cuts by the Collin County Commissioners Court, they may have to close their doors forever. The History Museum is in the old ca. 1911 post office building in McKinney.

At the center of the downtown McKinney square sits the old Collin County Courthouse, now the home of the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC). It too is facing an uncertain future as the McKinney City Council has begun a "re-visioning process" that could spell the end of the Performing Arts in downtown McKinney.

McKinney Performing Arts Center - formerly Collin County Courthouse

All three projects seem to be victims of the poor economy. Local cities and the county are expecting tax revenue shortfalls and are looking for ways to trim their budgets.

On the surface it makes sense to kill funding for arts and history in order to preserve core functions, such as roads and public safety. No elected official, especially in this economy, is wiling to ask voters for a tax hike for the Arts.

But there are good arguments to be made for funding these entities.

One is simple economics. While it is true that when times are hard, the prudent consumer stops discretionary spending, it is also true that in those same hard times, the savvy investor builds his portfolio.

In the case of the Arts Hall, proponents argue that construction costs are cheaper than they have been in a long time, and much cheaper than they will be in the future. This is the time, just as America did in the Great Depression, to invest in our community. The costs are low, and the project will bring in much needed jobs.

During the Great Depression, this country invested not only in building parks, roads and buildings, but also in the arts and history. For example, "Federal One" consisted of The Federal Art Project, The Federal Music Project, The Federal Theatre Project, The Federal Writers Project, and The Historical Records Survey.

These programs were created because the government saw an opportunity to preserve its people's culture that was threatened by economic and technological forces that could doom the traditional arts.

Now, no one I know is remotely suggesting that Collin County embark on its own New Deal, but it is critical to recognize that our past and our culture is also threatened today. The poor economy has greatly reduced the availability of private donations. If the public subsidies are also killed, we may lose our historic treasures like the old courthouse and post office forever.

Preserving MPAC and the Historical Museum require small, not huge investments. If we as a society value our own culture, we can find a way to afford these projects.

We probably need to force cuts on all three of these programs. Cuts, not mortal blows.

In the end, having a diversity of cultural venues enhances our communities and our quality of life. They bring people to our cities. They make our neighborhoods more attractive investments. They are who we are. Can we afford to lose them?

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