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Cary staff propose using roughly 10% of gaming and cannabis tax revenue to seed arts fund
Summary
Staff suggested allocating about 10% of annual video gaming and cannabis tax receipts (staff said 'a little over $300,000' in total receipts, estimating a 10% allocation at roughly $31,000) as seed money for an arts/beautification program; trustees discussed matching grants and alternative revenue streams.
At the Aug. 4 Community of the Whole meeting, staff proposed seeding the proposed arts program using roughly 10% of the village's annual video gaming and cannabis tax revenue. The assistant village administrator said the village receives "a little over $300,000" annually from those sources and estimated 10% would be "ballpark, $31,000 to start off with." Trustees responded with a mix of support and caution: some said $30,000 is a meaningful starter amount that would show seriousness to potential volunteers and donors; others urged prudence and suggested starting smaller or using a declining percentage in future years.
Trustees discussed alternative or supplementary funding models, including: a matching-donation model (village matches private donations), using surplus funds carried forward, partnering with corporations or foundations for sponsorships, and modest fees or vendor revenues from events like Main Street Fest. One trustee urged staff to research peer communities for operating-cost comparables. Staff said it would research budgets and return with refined recommendations.
