Dear Board Members Of The Woodstock Art gallery

DEAR ART GALLERY

 I am a citizen of the city of Woodstock and I would like to offer to you a siggestion on how we could all make this gallery work for all of us.

 I know that I've been a vociferous opponent of the gallery expansion and for many reasons I believe that opposing the proposed redevelopment is in the best interests of this community that can ill afford to foot the entire bill for this project.

 After some conversations with several Woodstock Councillors I have come to the conclusion that perhaps building this thing is not so bad afterall. 

 Several councillors have suggested that the Art Gallery begin its' fund raising for its' project without community input.(cash) I would agree with that. 

 I feel that as a community member that I would be willing to pay part of the bill, but not all of the bill. I would like to ask you, the members of the gallery and the board of the gallery to consider the possibility of raising some funds on your own.

 I would be willing to offer to you Three dollars for every dollar you can raise on your own to put towards a reconstruction. 

 If you wish to build a $4million gallery, then you should raise $1million. If you wish to spend $8million, then you should be willing to raise $2million and so on so forth.

I think as a member of this community that offering 75% of the building costs is fair. I think that if the gallery and its' board feel that their plan is warranted that they will consider this option  to organize and raise some portion of funds on their own. This would show that there is indeed a demand for this thing, and that the community supports it. At this point it appears that the demand is limited to a few select members of the community and their friends. If you can prove your point, and prove the need then you ought not to be so afraid to put a little of your own money where your mouths are. 

 I'm pretty darned sure that if the art gallery board came to the table with an open mind that the community would back the issue, even if it is begrudgingly. Everyone needs to be willing to move a little. I'm sure that the gallery will be built regardless, but lets' see if we can make the terms something that all of us can agree upon and afford to pay for.

 In this community we lack numerous social strategies. We lack supports for severely disabled persons and their is a supreme lack of group homes in the area that deal with an ever growing population of disabled children and adults. As the parent of one of those persons, I feel troubled by the lack of support for him and others like him.  Considering  that, I wonder if the members of the Art Gallery board feel guilty at all when taking public money from people who otherwise cannot care for themselves?

I doubt it. I doubt it a lot.

 Yes, I can get behind your art project, but can you people get behind helping those who cannot help themselves? I doubt that too, but I am willing to give you my money in the form of taxes so you may enjoy a wee bit more art(that I won't have time for as I am far too busy working and caring for this severely challenged person) while you are staring out of your gallery windows at the line of disabled wandering homeless people strolling past you.

 The homeless and the hungry cannot eat the art. Most of them wouldn't be allowed in anyways.

 This reminds me of a song....

Something called hunger Strike I think it was....

I dont mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I cant feed on the powerless
When my cups already overfilled
But its on the table
The fire is cooking
And theyre farming babies
While the slaves are working
The blood is on the table
And their mouths are choking
But Im growing hungry