On another 10-1 vote tonight, the City Council approved funding ArtsPartners from collected Restaurant tax receipts capped at $75,000 per year for the next four years (until 2011). At-large councilman Ryan Spain sang the praises of ArtsPartners, even mirroring the language of ArtsPartners Executive Director Suzette Boulais’ prepared speech. Third district councilman Bob Manning was more circumspect in his comments, praising not so much ArtsPartners, but the process of questioning and publicly vetting this item instead of simply rubber-stamping it.

The only “no” vote was Gary Sandberg who said he was voting against it because of the source of the funds (“R” portion of the HRA taxes). Those funds were supposed to go toward paying off the debt on the Civic Center, he said, and now we’re using those funds for other things. He believes that that city is breaking its word by redirecting those funds.