Re “San Diego arts leaders blast proposed massive funding cuts as ‘catastrophic’ and ‘devastating’” (April 15): Mayor Todd Gloria wants to reduce city funding for the arts from $13.8 million to $2 million. This is disastrous and very concerning for the future of San Diego, which is going to lose jobs at an unparalleled pace given the presence of artificial intelligence. History has shown time and again that arts funding cuts rarely deliver the savings policymakers expect. Instead, they reduce economic activity, weaken education systems and erode the cultural infrastructure that underpins long-term growth.
Mature policymaking does not force a choice between infrastructure and imagination, or between economic growth and cultural expression. It recognizes that thriving communities require both — and that each reinforces the other. If you object, as so many of us do, let the Art Matters group — sdartmatters.org — know how you feel before April 20. Maybe, just maybe, the mayor and the City Council will see the light.
— John M. Eger, San Diego