More on Detroit

Another Paul W. Smith-inspired post.  Yesterday, Paul W was talking with someone from the Detroit Institute of Arts about how bad it's getting financially for them, and how even their large donors are not giving as much, and the how the State of Michigan used to give them millions of dollars annually, but this year only gave them $10,000 (yes, ten thousand dollars), and how they were afraid that they would have to cut back or eliminate programs and/or exhibits.  But their latest idea to keep themselves funded was to get what they need from the taxpayers through a millage.

That's right.  Here in Michigan roads are crumbling, companies are failing, people are out of work long-term, but the people of Metro Detroit need to cough up even more money to subsidize an art museum.  They don't need that food.  They don't need that electricity.  They don't need water or gas for their homes.  But to these artsy-fartsy folks, they absolutely need an art museum.  This on top of the zoo they already support with their tax dollars!

Let me be clear - the Arts are a big part of my life, and always have been.  I understand and appreciate their importance to the soul of man.  But let me be just as clear on this:  they are not important enough that I want to be taxed for them.  They are not important enough that anyone should be taxed for them.  There is no constitutional basis for imposing any kind of tax for art museums!  Art museums are not a function of the government.  Police, Fire, sewers, roads, bridges - those are the things that government is responsible for.

And the worst part of it was that Paul W was supportive.  Shame on you, Paul.