The New York City budget proposed Wednesday cuts spending on areas such as cultural affairs by nearly 11 percent, a damaging number after years and years of growing the arts and culture industries. However, the cut wasn't as drastic as some had feared.
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The reductions are a response to the $9 billion loss in tax revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, grants givent to the arts and culture industries reached an all-time high of $212 million. The new budget allocates only $189 million. Jimmy Van Bramer, a City Council member, said some of the negotiators wanted to cut the arts departments more.
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“I fight like an animal inside the budget negotiating team for those things,” Van Bramer said. He ultimately voted against the budget because of a $15 million cut to arts education services in the Department of Education budget.