- March 23, 2026
Dear Editor:
Volusia County taxpayers were relieved when arts funding was restored at the March 3 Council meeting — but that relief is short-lived. The council also voted that the funding will not continue next year, citing, in part, the anticipated elimination of property tax revenue.
This isn’t just about the arts. Ending property taxes would strip local governments of the ability to fund community priorities — libraries, parks, recreation, and veterans’ services — not just the arts.
The councilman’s argument that the arts should rely solely on private support without government funding ignores their public value. More broadly, a “services-only” government risks replacing vibrant community investments with bare-bones infrastructure.
Residents deserve clarity. The council must continue to explain what abolishing property taxes would mean for funding the arts and other community programs — an issue that clearly drove its decision not to fund the targeted art organizations next year.
Sheila Zinkerman
Ormond Beach
Submit letters up to 400 words to [email protected].
