Arts and Music commissions focus on the facts

The legal and procedural tiptoeing that city officials and commission members have to perform in most actions related to November’s bond vote played out with the utmost confusion and care at Monday’s joint meeting of the city’s Arts and Music commissions. At issue was Proposition B on the ballot, which seeks to provide $128 million for infrastructure needs for the city’s libraries, museums and cultural centers and also includes $12 million to assist with creative spaces. During discussion on a possible joint resolution of support for the proposition, city staff noted at several points that any official statements about the bond had to be rooted in the facts surrounding the issue and can’t include “persuasive words” that could be interpreted as advocacy. Prior to approving a resolution in support of Proposition B as a whole, the joint commissions voted to form a joint working group to advise City Council on possible ways to utilize the $12 million, if voters approve the proposition.