EDITORS NOTE:WE NEED TO HOLD HIM TO THESE PROMISES
Below are the answers to the tough questions that My Harlem presented to State Senator David A. Paterson, Minority Leader
Arts and Culture Questions
1) Would the candidate consider recognizing the “creative arts” as an industry cluster like the states of Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts and why?
Yes. New York City’s Economic Development Corporation should play a larger role in supporting this sizable and growing part of the economy because these fields currently are not a meaningful part of the City’s economic development strategy. Industry clusters improve the connections between clusters and university research, workforce programs, data collection processes, public policy, and other supporting institutions and systems.
New York City's creative core is made up nearly 12,000 businesses and non-profits and provides employment to more than 300,000 people. In recent years, creative industries have added jobs at a considerably faster rate than the overall City economy.
Although creative activity may be the closest thing to a natural resource in New York City, it is also a little-understood and long-overlooked economic asset. A Creative Arts Industry Cluster designation would provide a geographic concentration of inter-connected companies and institutions working in common.
Firms and workers in the cluster could draw competitive advantage from their proximity to competitors, a skilled workforce, specialized suppliers, and a shared base of knowledge about the creative arts industry.
Recognizing the creative arts as an industry cluster can propel effective public policy, supportive academic institutions, appropriate workforce training programs, and other infrastructure to support regional competitiveness and lead to a better environment for creative arts industries.
2) How would the candidate promote and capitalize on New York's ethnic diversity?
I have been a consistent and dedicated supporter of artists, arts organizations, and the preservation of New York State’s many historic treasures throughout my tenure as a State Senator representing Harlem and as Democratic Leader of the State Senate. I would seek to promote and capitalize on New York’s ethnic diversity through supporting arts and cultural institutions and individuals. Following is a sampling of my efforts to promote ethnic diversity through arts and culture:
· I sponsored a law that will provide financing for the Museum of African American Cinema, Inc. (MAAC) to build a facility to house the archives and collections of three major African American institutions: the New York State Black Films & Video Archives, the International Agency for Minority Artists Affairs and the Harlem Media Center. The MAAC is the most prestigious depository of historical films, videos, documents, photographs, publications, costumes, posters, scripts, props, sound recordings, records, personal items and artifacts of African Americans in movies, television and on stage. The collections are considered in the class of the Library of Congress.
· I sponsored a law that established the Heights Heritage Area, set its boundaries and provided for its historic development features. The law will enable the community to keep history alive through State parks designation, which will allow the region to attract needed funds to improve public landscape, market and promote local businesses and institutions, and spur economic growth to attract new businesses and increase tourism.
· I created the Senate Minority Task Force on the Arts and Cultural Affairs in April 2006 and appointed as its chair Senator Jose Serrano, who has had extensive experience working in the management of not-for-profit theatre. The Task Force aims to explore topics such as arts funding in the State and the impact of arts on economic development.
· I sponsored legislation to create the People’s History Project. The Project would allow entities such as historical societies, ethnic groups, and churches, to nominate for marking sites representing significant individuals or places in our State’s history. Passage of the legislation also would ensure that these individuals and historical events are recognized in educational curricula.
· In the early 1990’s, I organized New York’s diverse communities into the Task Force for the Oversight of the African Burial Ground in Manhattan, and spearheaded the successful efforts to ensure that the Burial Ground’s physical and spiritual artifacts were treated with deserved respect and reverence.
· In each of the years I have served as Leader I have consistently called, through alternate budgets and budget responses, for the full restoration of funds that were cut from arts, parks and historic preservation budgets.
· I routinely have secured discretionary funding to further the work of the diverse arts’ groups operating in his district, and indeed in many areas of the State, like the American Ballet Theatre’s “Make A Ballet School Program,” previously located at the Frederick Douglass Academy.
· I am aware of the myriad issues surrounding the arts and historic preservation communities through the many groups that have traveled to Albany in support of arts funding, economic development and capital construction. Those groups have included: the New York City Arts Coalition, Harlem School of the Arts, Inc., New Moves, Inc., Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Exploring the Arts, Inc.
· I joined my Harlem colleagues in fighting to preserve the century-old Catholic church at West 118th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. In its day, the church was a mainstay of Harlem political and religious life, famed for gorgeous stained-glass windows, vaulted ceilings and main altar. The efforts successfully led to the historic property being designated one of “Seven to Save” by the Preservation League of New York State.
3) Would the candidate support more funding to NYC & Co. so that the organization can offer more tourism services? Right now NYC & Co. is limited to convention and some general tourism services.
I would support increased funding to NYC & Co. New York City has vested its tourism marketing in NYC & Co. - a nonprofit entity that is funded by member dues – in the amount of more than $6 million in City funds and a share of hotel tax revenues. Tourism drives the City’s and State’s economic engine. On the State level, we need to evaluate agency work in the cultural and heritage tourism business. I would establish a Cultural Tourism Review Task Force to test for measurable and accurate performance, return on investment, leadership, innovation, overlap and duplication.
4) Would the candidate push the State Legislature to support and approve the creation of Cultural Arts Districts throughout New York?
Yes. I fully support S.3317/A.3433 to create the New York State Arts and Cultural Development Areas Demonstration Program. As a lifelong advocate of the arts, I particularly appreciate the intention that localities with strong local arts communities are often home to creative thinkers in all industries. Luring artists of all kinds to regions with affordable housing and studio space ensures that they and their fans will support local businesses that sell food, supplies and other services.
5) Would the candidate advocate the State Legislature to support a “state” historic tax credit matching the already existing federal tax credit?
Yes. I voted in favor of S.8392/A.11987 to establish an income tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic properties, and which included two types of credit: historic structures credit and historic home ownership rehabilitation credit. The bill has been awaiting signature by the Governor, and I urge him to sign the measure. Preserving our cultural heritage is paramount in protecting and maintaining the public commons.
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