Dan Johnson // Republican // State House-District 4

1. How have the arts, culture, and/or humanities impacted your life?

I worked in schools for 50 years and have been recognized for maintaining the arts for all kids even when there was an economic down turn. Our society needs the arts right now more than ever. The arts bring peace and tranquility into the lives of our citizens.

2. Utah's humanities and arts employ 123,000 Utahns, provide $4.4 billion in earnings, and $13.2 billion in sales. This is a larger economic impact than agriculture, mining, and real estate. Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?

Yes

3. I support...

-Grants to be used for operations (jobs) as soon as possible

-Keeping emergency loans open to nonprofits

-Protecting the RAP taxes so that money granted to cultural organizations doesn't get repurposed

-Increasing availability of loans to cultural businesses (nonprofit and for-profit)

-Fiscally responsible government investment in arts and humanities organizations

-Facilitating partnerships between tourism and culture

-Reducing regulations of creative businesses

-Capital investment (in museums, performance/concert halls, studios, galleries, nonprofit office space, etc.)

-The RAP tax

-Existing fund balances that will be preserved for recreation, cultural organizations, and parks

-Percent for public art programs, which optionally designate 1% of government capital costs for public art

-Allowing municipalities to set design standards

-K-6 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education

-7-12 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education

-The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program which puts one arts specialist in most elementary schools

-The POPS (Professional Outreach Program in the Schools) which sends 13 professional arts organizations to all UT school districts

-The iSEE (Informal Science Educational Enhancement) which sends 10 professional science, zoological, and natural history organizations to all UT school districts

4. Fiscally responsible government investment in the arts and humanities (including humanities and arts education) means to me:

We need to make a pool available to the arts so that grants can be awarded to entities that meet established criteria.