Utah Cultural Advocacy Alliance Grade: A+ (100%)

  • Candidate Name: Mike Peterson

  • Your Municipality: Cottonwood Heights

  • Elected office for which you are running: Mayor

 

Question 1: Should government be involved in funding the arts and humanities?
Yes

Question 2: Have you had a personal experience with arts, culture, or humanities that have had an impact on your life?
Yes

3b // Optional, explain your experience.
Past Chair of ZAP (Zoo, Arts and Parks) and strong supporter of our Cottonwood Heights Arts Council.

Question 3: Do you support public funding for city and county arts councils who then re-grant that money to local arts and humanities organizations?
Yes

3b // Optional, explain why or why not.
I appreciate the opportunity to support a quality of life that includes this mechanism. It allows for greater creativity and expansion of talents often otherwise overlooked.

Question 4: Do you support Percent for Art programs, which designate 1% of public building costs for public art that are included within that building? Currently, only 8 Utah municipalities have such a program.
Yes

4b // Optional, explain why or why not.
I was indirectly involved and supported Gary Swensen who guided the selection process that put the permanent art displays in the County Building. I believe this is one of the best collections of art in any government building in the State. I would love to see the same in other public buildings.

Question 5: Do you support having a Percent-for-Art program in your own municipality?
Yes

5b // Optional, explain why or why not.
I've seen its value when I was associated with Salt Lake County. The County Building is a great example of what all public buildings should do when it comes to owning and displaying the many art disciplines.

Question 6: Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?
Yes

6b // Optional, explain why or why not.
It's simply a cornerstone of any healthy and vibrant community.

Question 7: 32 municipalities have a RAP (recreation, arts, and parks) type tax to help support cultural organizations in their communities. Would you support a RAP type tax such as this in your own municipality? If your municipality already has such a local option sales RAP-type sales tax and you support it, answer yes.
Yes

7b // Optional, explain your experience.
Absolutely support and was the immediate past chairman of the County ZAP Advisory Board.

Question 8: Municipalities can facilitate partnerships between cultural organizations and the local tourism sector to boost the local economy. Do you support this? Optional, explain why or why not. 
Yes

8b // Optional, explain why or why not.
Partnerships and collaborations are the best way to get the best "bang for our buck". Working together with the private sector governments can provide a much greater diversity of arts opportunities.

 

Question 9: Municipal governments can create Cultural Districts - with or without tax incentives. Governments sometimes fund these via bed or tourism taxes within the Cultural District boundaries, but it can be done within municipal budgets fairly cheaply. Is this something you would support? 
Yes

9b // Optional, explain why or why not. 
Definitely something that should be explored.