City budget debate continues
What utilities cut would mean for TPAC
6:40 p.m. Monday, July 9, 2007
One of the items that could be cut out of the city budget is more than $100,000 dollars to literally keep the lights on at the Topeka Performing Arts Center, a cost that city leaders are considering "pulling the plug" on.
TPAC executive director Barbara Wiggins took 49 News on a tour through a dimly lit hallway at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. The lights are low for a reason: to keep the electric bill down.
“There isn't anything on at all except for the emergency lights. Emergency lights have to be on because if something happens in here, the police have to be able to see how to get in here and where they're going and all that,” Wiggins said.
It's an electric bill your tax dollars pay for, but under the city manager's budget proposal the city would no longer pay the Topeka Performing Arts Center's utility bill- about $114,000.
If that happens, TPAC will have to make up the money. They would do that by raising the cost of renting the building out, not by raising ticket prices.
“It wouldn't be anything that would affect any of the patrons or anyone buying tickets to events at TPAC,” Wiggins said.
And even though the center is not responsible for their own utility costs yet, Wiggins says they still do everything they can to keep the electric bill low and make the most out of your tax dollars.
“There's no reason to have the building all lit up if there's nothing going on, and even the display cases are shut off if there's nothing going on in here,” Wiggins said.
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)