 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 31, No. 9 * May 10, 1999 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story Hightower testifies in support of arts funding By Jacqueline Byers
Commissioner Michael Hightower of Fulton County, Ga. recently testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies in support of the president’s FY00 budget request of $150 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This budget request also includes $50 million for a new program titled "Challenge America," which would significantly increase arts funding for youth programs. Hightower is also the co-chair of NACo’s Arts and Culture Commission and a member of the Americans for the Arts Board of Directors. In his testimony, Hightower pointed to the success of the YouthARTS Project funded by the NEA, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice and many private foundations. Fulton County was one of the pilot sites for this successful program. The program has since been developed as a national test model and a ToolKit. Hightower further testified that for the first time, this program provided concrete statistics that show that arts programs for youth are highly effective in deterring delinquent behavior. |