Oakland’s hotel tax revenue is expected to fall by $9 million to $18.01 million this fiscal year, part of a potential $80 million budget shortfall over the next 14 months, according to a memo from the city’s budget director.
The hotel tax revenue is a key source of arts funding in Oakland, supporting grants for individual artists and operating support for organizations including Oakland Museum of California and the Chabot Space and Science Center.
Roughly a third of the Cultural Funding Program grant-making budget derives from the tax, and Oakland Museum has for the past two years relied on the fund for some $70,000 per month.
“We’re anticipating that goes away completely for the foreseeable future,” Lori Fogarty, director of the museum, said in an interview. “That’s absolutely one of our biggest hits.”
After a decade of modest gains, the budget crisis threatens to plunge public art support to historic lows.
Read the full story from KQED’s Sam Lefebvre here.
