Hitting the right notes

By Richard Rolke Jan 17 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
You’d think a commitment of increased funding would be welcome news to the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. At the same time that the North Okanagan Regional District is preparing to pump more money into the organization, symphony officials are saying it’s not enough. “We really need the (additional) 50 cents,” said director Maria Besso of the push to have NORD’s funding go from 10 to 70 cents per capita.

And whether it was intended or not, a gun was put to the politicians’ head. “We’ve appreciated the 10 cents but if the symphony is to survive in Vernon, we need more,” said Besso. Essentially, our elected officials are being told that if they don’t come up with more dough, the violins, flutes and oboes will fall silent. Instead of threats or worst-case scenarios, the symphony should be thrilled that, unlike many other cultural groups, it gets assistance from taxpayers.

NORD hasn’t said no to increased support, it’s just stated there is a limit to its generosity.And when NORD is named, I should point out that it’s not all of the regional district backing the symphony. There are four jurisdictions involved in the function and the views on funding are as varied as their population and geography. Coldstream has given the green light to 70 cents per capita while Lumby and Vernon have only agreed to 20 cents. For the five electoral areas, there won’t be an extra penny above the existing 10 cents.

So there will be extra funding going towards Okanagan Symphony, it will just vary according to the jurisdiction involved. At a time when there are so many financial constraints on local government — including Vernon city hall paring back spending one per cent so it can do more without increasing taxes — an overall hike of 70 cents per capita for the symphony was a little too much all at once. Had all of the participating jurisdictions agreed to it, that would have seen the annual grant jump from $6,008 to $42,057 all at once.

If anything, NORD has done the responsible thing by managing taxpayers’ dollars wisely and continuing its relationship with an important cultural institution in the valley. No one can deny the role of the symphony. It adds to the cultural mosaic of the Okanagan while also bolstering the economy, through the employment of musicians and acting as a draw for people looking to move here. Countless youth — including myself at one time — have been introduced to the wonders of classical music through the Okanagan Symphony.

This isn’t about the symphony and whether it is needed, because it is. This is an issue of elected officials having to balance all of the financial pressures placed on them. Certainly the grant hasn’t been increased in 15 years but the wrongs of the past can’t be caught up all at once. In terms of Vernon performances being on shaky ground, it would be unfortunate if they came to an end. But it’s not incumbent on local taxpayers being the be-all and end-all to resolving that situation. Okanagan Symphony must look inwards at its operations, and if there is a shortfall between revenue and expenses for Vernon shows, perhaps some tough decisions must be made.

Okanagan Symphony has been tackling its debt since cancelling concerts in 2003, and an endowment fund has been created to provide some long-term stability. Those are all positive steps and I wish the symphony all the success in the world. Included in that success will be the long-standing partnership with NORD. Hopefully, Okanagan Symphony will graciously accept it for what it is, and not try and nickel and dime the relationship.