Subject: URGENT: Critical Next Steps to Protect Arts and Tourism Funding – Your Voice Is Needed

Dear Lake Wales Arts Supporters and Lovers,

First, thank you for your swift and overwhelming response to our urgent call to action last week. Your voices are being heard—our legislative delegation is being inundated with opposition to the harmful bills threatening arts and tourism funding.

However, I write you today with an important update:
Last Friday, the Florida House passed the full tax package, including HB 1221 and an amended HB 7033.
While this is not the outcome we hoped for, the fight is far from over—and we need your advocacy now more than ever.

What Has Changed?

  • HB 7033 was amended to allocate 75% of Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenue toward property tax credits, with the remaining 25% left to counties for discretionary use.
    ➔ Even with this change, funding for tourism promotion, marketing, and cultural programs would still be eliminated.

  • Polk County households would see a property tax savings of only $43 per year—at the devastating expense of our arts and tourism economy.

  • Still in the House Bill:

    • Elimination of all Tourist Development Councils by the end of this year.

    • Mandatory public referendum every eight years to continue any TDT funding.

What's at Stake for the Lake Wales Arts Council?

  • We could still be excluded from Cultural and Museum Grant funding in the House budget (HB5001), despite earning a 93.5 grant score—well above the threshold.

  • We risk losing $240,000 in arts marketing funding from Visit Central Florida.

  • These cuts would severely cripple our ability to produce concerts, camps, exhibitions, and arts education programs that engage over 20,000 students and visitors annually in our community.

    • Here are example of programs coming up next year that would be severely impacted:

      • Gallery Exhibition - Sacred Currents: Spirituality in African Art - Exploring spiritual traditions through African art and symbolism

      • Gallery Exhibition - Size Matters: LWAC Members’ Show - Artworks celebrating the power of scale and size

      • Summer Arts Camps and Studio 60 camps - Creative youth summer programs in visual and performing arts

      • Sandy’s MusicGirls - Empowering young girls through mentorship and music education

      • 2nd Annual Plein Air Symposium at Bok Tower Gardens - Outdoor painting celebrating landscapes and artistic techniques

      • 55th Annual Lake Wales Arts Festival - Juried fine art festival featuring national artists

      • 19th Marilyn Newell Youth Music Festival - Showcasing young musicians' talents through competition and performance

      • Jazz, Classical and World music concerts at the Arts Center - Dynamic live performances spanning global music traditions

      • Lake Wales Live concerts in Market Plaza (downtown Lake Wales) - Free outdoor concerts energizing downtown Lake Wales

      • Special Master Class weekend workshops at the Arts Center - Intensive workshops with nationally-recognized professional artists and musicians

      • and more!

Where the Fight Goes Next
The Senate is now our critical next line of defense.
Thankfully, the Senate’s version of the tax package does not currently include the House’s damaging provisions.
We must act immediately to make sure it stays that way and pressure them to negotiate these harmful proposals out of the final budget that will eventually go to Governor DeSantis.

What You Can Do Today
✅ Contact your Florida Senators:

Ben Albritton, Senate President – Albritton.Ben@flsenate.gov
Legislative Aide: Karen Whaley
Phone: 850-487-5027 Email: Whaley.Karen@flsenate.gov

Sen. Colleen Burton – Burton.Colleen@flsenate.gov
Legislative Aide: Ranay Willis
Phone: 850-487-5012 Email: Willis.Ranay@flsenate.gov

  and urge them to:

  • DO NOT include HB 1221 and HB 7033 in the Senate tax package.

  • Stand firm in budget negotiations to protect tourism and cultural funding.

✅ Contact Governor Ron DeSantis (Phone: 850-717-9210, Email: governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com) and urge him to:

  • Oppose these measures if they reach his desk.

  • Recognize the devastating economic impact these bills would have on Polk County and the State of Florida.

✅ Contact them daily if possible—time is of the essence as budget negotiations could start as early as TODAY.
An extended session is almost certain, but our advocacy must remain strong now.

The damage these bills could cause—undermining our cultural programs, slashing arts funding, and damaging the Polk County economy—is far greater than the modest property tax savings they promise.

Your voice matters.
We must stand united to protect the arts, tourism, and community vitality we have all worked so hard to build.

Thank you for standing strong with us,
Board of Directors, LWAC Staff, and the Advocates, Artists, Musicians, Teachers, and Volunteers who make Lake Wales an inspiring place to live and visit!

SAMPLE LETTER TO SENATORS/GOVERNOR:

[Today’s Date]

Florida Senate or Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Dear Senator [Name]/Governor DeSantis,

I am writing to respectfully urge you to protect Florida’s arts, culture, and tourism economy by opposing the harmful provisions contained in HB 1221 and HB 7033, recently passed by the Florida House. These measures would redirect vital tourism and arts funding, dismantle local tourist development councils, and undermine the cultural programs that drive local economies—like those supported by the Lake Wales Arts Council.

The Lake Wales Arts Council engages over 20,000 visitors and students annually, fueling cultural enrichment and economic development. We rely on critical support from the Department of State’s Cultural and Museum Grant Program and tourism marketing grants through Visit Central Florida. The proposed cuts would devastate small cities like Lake Wales.

I respectfully ask you to:

  • Maintain the Senate’s tax package without the damaging TDT provisions in HB 1221 and HB 7033.

  • Negotiate firmly with the House to exclude these provisions from the final budget.

  • Protect Florida’s arts, tourism marketing, and cultural heritage.

The potential harm to our local economy and cultural sector far outweighs the minor property tax savings being promised.

Thank you for your leadership and for standing with communities like Lake Wales.

Respectfully,
[Your name, title, etc]