The entire world has watched its economy waver in the past several years, and even though Dallas may not have been hit the hardest, the struggle is continuing to prevail in North Texas.
Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm has recently proposed an extensive plan for budget cuts that will allow the basic services of Dallas to remain intact without raising taxes.
Due to this plan, recent town hall meetings have seen attendance numbers greater than anticipated, filled with Dallas residents taking a stand for the area that they feel poses the greatest harm if funds are reduced.
Raphael Parry, the executive director of Shakespeare Dallas – the theater company in charge of Dallas’ Shakespeare festival every summer – has found these budget cuts troubling not only to his company, but also to the entire arts scene in Dallas.
“Our company strives to make works of Shakespeare accessible for everyone,” Parry said.
“One of the ways we do that is making a third of our performances free for the public.”
He went on to explain that the affordable nature of their shows stems from an agreement made with the city, which allows them to use a fully maintained Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre for free.
The hurt caused to Shakespeare Dallas in these budget cuts is two-fold, as not only are any grants they received effectively removed, but also the maintenance of facilities at the park are also reduced.
“It’s really bad timing for our company, as we are entering our 40th season and slowly building a reputation throughout the country that has people traveling to Dallas to see our shows,” Parry said.
“It’s a shame that just as the arts scene in Dallas was getting its foot in the door, around 70 percent of our funds have been cut in the past two years,” he continued.
Parry isn’t the only Dallas resident concerned for the vibrancy of the city. Students who once looked at Dallas as a land of opportunity are now concerned that remaining in this city would be fruitless.
Courtney Ford, a recent graduate of SMU, is now studying graphic design at the Art Institute and is questioning the value of staying here after she completes her studies.
“Most people would prefer to live in a community with a strong art scene, whether it be for entertainment or for other personal reasons,” Ford said. “A huge budget cut that ultimately weakens the art scene absolutely affects my decision to remain here after graduation.”
The other side of the issue is that without these cuts, taxes will have to be raised, which means that Dallas won’t look as appealing to all the businesses that are currently moving jobs here.
“It’s a difficult budget, but it addresses the kind of challenge the city of Dallas is facing,” Assistant City Manager Jill Jordan said in an Aug. 19 town hall meeting.
Jordan said that she attributes the increase in requests for building permits as a direct result of keeping taxes low.
The issue as Parry sees it isn’t that cuts shouldn’t be made, but that when the economy bounces back, the arts are not written into the reinstatement plan.
“I’d feel a lot more comfortable about tightening my belt if I knew that Dallas was committed to keeping the arts alive,” Parry said.
“I just need to see that my company will have its funds returned when the economy is restored.”
