Commentary

February 4th, 2010

Save the Center for the Arts!

There is no question but what the city of Escondido is in a budget crisis and painful cuts have to be made. I have already commented several times in the paper editorially that I think this is one asset we should work to save and I continue that thought today.

It's my belief that, at long last, the Center is starting to work much more efficiently; private promoters are bringing in talent, assuming the financial risks/costs and, so far, appear to be making a profit: for the Center and for themselves. They are bringing in acts like Kris Kristofferson, last week with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood and, coming soon, Arlo Guthrie. There were lots of fannies in the seats at these concerts . . . I anticipate Arlo Guthrie will be close to being sold out.

Mayor ProTem Dick Daniels and Councilmember Olga Diaz had a difficult and unenviable task. Outline areas where we could, and maybe should, make budget cuts. Every single one of them were painful decisions.

It’s my belief we absolutely have to save the Center for the Arts, Escondido (and while we’re at it, let’s change the damned name. It’s a mouthful and awkward). At least we need to save as much as we can. If we need to shut down some elements of it . . . let’s do that. But let’s find a way to not eviscerate one of this city’s crown jewels.

Elsewhere, in this week’s Letters to the Editor, former Councilmember Ed Gallo mentions his support, past and present, for a program wherein we would change the business model. This would involve converting the Center into a leasing facility whereby the onus on profit/loss for productions was put on the shoulders of private promoters. The Center can still produce shows, however, only if all expenses were accounted for up front. Mr. Gallo also points out The Wolfe Report published in about 1997 even made the recommendation that the City should financially support the Center for approximately 20% of the operating budget. That, too, is worth exploring.

In this past Sunday’s North County Times, Columnist Jim Trageser suggested . . . “It was sold to voters as the anchor tenant to end all anchor tenants ---- an arts and entertainment campus that would draw visitors from all over Southern California to attend its events, people who would shop and dine in downtown Escondido before and after the shows. Trageser goes on to suggest . . . “a common-sense alternative of contracting with a professional promoter to run it for the city on a full-time basis.”

You can read all of Trageser’s column here:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/trageser/article_33b1149f-5c48-5d6c-92c0-5d1704bd878e.html
It’s well written and has some excellent ideas.

If you know any of our Escondido councilmembers, take them out for coffee and lobby for saving the Center.

55 very talented people will be laid off if the Center closes. I know a lot of these people and like them a great deal. Not only would they lose their jobs but the city would lose an asset that is a diamond in the process of being highly polished.

Please give a hand. The Center needs you. The Council needs to hear how you feel.

And to the Council . . . I don’t envy you your decision. You have a mighty tough row to hoe . . . but, please, do something to save as much of the Center as we can. (And don’t forget . . . change the name!)