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Jun 17, 2009 4:35 pm US/Central
Non-Profits At Risk In Fort Worth Budget Battle
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
When Fort Worth city planners realized they'd be saddled with a $61 million dollar shortfall, Mayor Mike Moncrief was quick to say there'd be no "sacred cows" when it comes to possible budget cuts.
The list of programs under the budget microscope includes $3.3 million in non profit groups the city currently funds. The largest, The Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, receives $1.2 million in city support. That council funds outreach projects citywide like Arts 5th Avenue near the medical district in Fort Worth, a community center that teaches art, dance and music.
"The Arts Council is primarily where most of the arts groups in Fort Worth get their major funding," said art instructor Deb Wood. "If that happens we won't lose the Art Council but their ability to help us would be greatly diminished."
Arts 5th Avenue prides itself as a learning safe haven for children of an entire community. But without support from the Arts Council it would almost certainly close.
The Arts Council is on a list of groups the city helps that could be cut. That list also includes a group that works with emotionally traumatized children, a women's shelter, even an historic park.
The Log Cabin Village is a living record of the area's first settlers. Its collection of authentic cabins, a school and various outbuildings is open for interactive tours.
"It reminds me of Little House on the Prairie because I watch that a lot," said one little girl whose family was visiting from Cleveland.
But even the village is not free from budget scrutiny. Its entire $435,000 budget is in front of the council. If the money goes so do the half dozen curators and so does the link to fort worth's history.
"It would be a shame," said Tim Conner, a Log Cabin Village visitor. "We hope to see that the people have money in the budget and continue to educate and share the experiences we had today."
Budget planners stress that no program has been cut yet, but that the council asked for all options to be placed on the planning table and these programs, just like everything else in the budget, are open for discussion.
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