Naperville debating cuts in funding for cultural programs

A Naperville councilman wants to reduce the city's food and beverage tax that helps fund cultural programs.

Grant Wehrli has asked the council to consider lowering the portion of the citywide tax used for cultural amenities from 1 percent to 0.5 percent. The city uses that revenue for its Special Events and Cultural Amenities grants.

"Right now we're going through a tough economic time here in the city and we're looking at budgets getting tighter and tighter every day and the burden becomes greater and greater upon the citizens of Naperville from a governmental standpoint whether it's federal, state, county, municipal, whatever," Wehrli said.

The city distributed more than $2.57 million in cultural grants this year, spread over nearly 90 programs run by groups such as Century Walk Corp., DuPage Children's Museum, the Exchange Club, Naperville Jaycees and Conservation Foundation. The council received about $8.9 million in requests.

The grants began in 2005, funded by the 1 percent citywide food and beverage tax.

Last week, the city council approved a 1.5 percent increase to that tax in the downtown area to help fund three parking deck projects. Wehrli voted in favor of that increase, saying it is for a good cause, but then said the overall tax burden is growing too great and the cultural amenities fund "gets away from our core business."

He asked councilmen to consider cutting the existing 1 percent citywide food and beverage tax in half, which was met by mixed reactions.

Councilman James Boyajian said he would be open to reducing the grant fund and setting priorities for projects.

"I felt over the years we have projects chasing dollars because we have the dollars," he told the council.

But Councilman Kenn Miller said the timing of the proposal is not right.

"We've already got significant commitments in permanent structures like the (Millennium) Carillon, etc.," Miller said. "Now is not the time while this money is going to good causes in the economic downturn."

Councilmen John Rosanova and Richard Furstenau both said the city may be able to use the money for other core services. It is currently trying to plug a $5.1 million hole that could grow to $11 million next fiscal year. However, Wehrli said doing so would go against the city's promise of transparent government.

The groups that rely on the grants were not pleased with the idea.

Michelle LeBlanc, founder and president of the Naperville Cultural Center, said the $15,000 her group received this year is helping subsidize its programs which include music and art classes as well as intercultural programs. The grants allowed the group to charge as little as $2.50 an hour for some programs and offer free workshops.

"It made me feel like (the center) was valued by the city," LeBlanc said Monday.

Losing funding, she said, would likely mean cutting some programs and charging more for others.

The council likely will continue its discussion of the fund when it meets for a workshop at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, followed by a 7 p.m. council meeting at the municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.