I recently had the pleasure of listening to an excellent performance by the Anchorage Bowl Chamber Orchestra at the Wilda Marston Theatre. This small orchestra includes many homegrown musicians whose talent and skills were nurtured in the music programs of the Anchorage School District and the University of Alaska. Some members of this group have gone to the best conservatories in the nation, have music degrees from UAA and work locally in the music field. They enrich our community greatly.
I fear that Anchorage stands to lose many of these talented young people should Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s drastic budget reductions go into effect, as music programs will likely be sacrificed to save “core” academics. Please stand up for the arts and keep our talented youth in Alaska. We do not need to accept an impoverished state budget that starves our schools and university. There are alternatives, but new sources of revenue will be necessary. I, for one, am willing to pay my fair share through an income tax.
— Christina Tower Zafren
Anchorage
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