Arts groups and other community organizations were granted a reprieve this week when Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced her administration would reverse proposed budget cuts that prompted weeks of pushback.
Why it matters: The restored funds mean residents, often the most vulnerable, can rely on the services and programs some organizations were preparing to limit or do away with.
Catch up quick: Last month, Levine Cava proposed budget cuts between 10% and 35% for some departments and consolidations for others to offset a deficit of over $400 million for 2026.
- She proposed cutting $12.8 million, or 50%, of the county’s cultural grant funding — a move arts community leaders argued would “devastate” small organizations and local artists, and threaten youth programming.
- It also cut about $1.17 million for small business “Mom and Pop” grants, various services for seniors and funding for tree planting.
State of play: In a Tuesday night memo, the administration said it had identified $65.8 million in unspent funds, “departmental adjustments” and allocations from the Tax Collector’s Office…