Commission delays vote on child art funding proposal
Second thoughts and personal anguish among First 5 Sacramento commissioners delayed a decision Monday over a controversial public spending proposal involving the Crocker Art Museum.
The commission postponed a formal vote on the museum's plan to spend $566,000 in tobacco-tax money on exhibits and programs aimed at young children. The money is collected statewide under Proposition 10, approved by voters in 1998 to fund programs for the healthy development of children age 5 and under.
But as word trickled out last week about the museum's three-year funding proposal - which was recommended for approval by the commission's staff - child advocates expressed outrage.
At Monday's meeting, attorney Robert Wilson told commissioners that the community is "in crisis," referring to deep cuts at the county's Child Protective Services and other agencies that help needy children and families.
"This project is targeted to the population that doesn't need help," said Wilson of Sacramento Child Advocates, a non-profit lawyers group which represents children in dependency court.
Proponents of the museum proposal argued that new art exhibits and programs geared toward children under 6
The commission postponed a formal vote on the museum's plan to spend $566,000 in tobacco-tax money on exhibits and programs aimed at young children. The money is collected statewide under Proposition 10, approved by voters in 1998 to fund programs for the healthy development of children age 5 and under.
But as word trickled out last week about the museum's three-year funding proposal - which was recommended for approval by the commission's staff - child advocates expressed outrage.
At Monday's meeting, attorney Robert Wilson told commissioners that the community is "in crisis," referring to deep cuts at the county's Child Protective Services and other agencies that help needy children and families.
"This project is targeted to the population that doesn't need help," said Wilson of Sacramento Child Advocates, a non-profit lawyers group which represents children in dependency court.
Proponents of the museum proposal argued that new art exhibits and programs geared toward children under 6