Committee shifts Creative Industries grants out of Art in Public Places and drops proposed 1% pay raise
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Summary
Lawmakers moved Creative Industries grants away from the Art in Public Places fund and, because recurring capacity was limited, committee staff said the proposed 1% public-employee raise will not be funded in this reconciliation package.
During the reconciliation review members questioned moving Creative Industries grants out of the Art in Public Places fund, and staff confirmed that in some lines the Creative Industries grants are being funded in lieu of general-fund appropriations. Several senators expressed concern that the statutory authority and purpose of Art in Public Places may not align with the broader uses proposed for Creative Industries grants.
Staff told the panel that recurring capacity was constrained after accounting for recurring changes earlier in the package. Adrian said that recurring capacity had been about $30,000,000 but actual recurring needs were closer to $60,000,000, so the committee would not fund the previously discussed 1% public-employee raise this year; staff gave an estimated cost for a 1% raise at about $62,000,000 including public schools and higher education.
Members asked staff to confirm and correct language where printing or spreadsheet transfer errors occurred and directed a small technical cleanup group to coordinate final language edits.