In Wednesday’s (4/1) Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), Josh Margolin and Peggy McGlone report, “Former Republican governor Tom Kean, who usually avoids criticizing his successors, says he is so angry about Gov. Jon Corzine’s plan to slash arts funding that he is considering filing a lawsuit against Corzine. Kean said he is ‘outraged’ at the governor’s proposal to cut cultural funds to below the minimums outlined by law. The Republican elder statesman—who is honorary chairman of Republican Chris Christie’s gubernatorial campaign to unseat Corzine—is calling for arts advocates to sue if the budget is passed without arts funding restored to the statutory levels. In fact, he said he may file his own lawsuit because he feels so strongly that the Democratic governor is wrong.” In 2003, Kean led the charge for a hotel-motel tax to help fund the arts. “The law includes a ‘poison pill’ provision that eliminates the tax should arts funding drop below $16 million. Corzine’s plan calls for $14.4 million, or $1.6 million under the law’s threshold.”
Posted April 3, 2009
