P PR R E ES SS S R R E E L L E E A AS SE E

F OR I MMEDI AT E RE L E ASE: CONT ACT: Justin Thompson

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 PHONE: 617-722-2810
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Whilman, MA Slale Reresenlalives Geoff DiehI (R-Whilman) and }osh CulIer (D-Duxbury)
announced lheir suorl lo bring addilionaI funding lo Massachusells arls and cuIlure (A&C)
organizalions, a key comonenl of lhe lraveI and lourism induslry, lhe lhird Iargesl revenue
generalor in lhe commonveaIlh.

6- 6$( 7-$*&+",.-, 8&4(&+"4 8*&-$.4 9&-:.-, las inlo an underused seclion of lhe
Massachusells ersonaI income lax relurn lhal aIIovs for voIunlary conlribulions lo various
charilabIe funds by adding lhe Massachusells CuIluraI DeveIomenl Iund (MCDI) lo lhe Iisl of
donalion olions. The unique asecl of lhis Acl is lhal lhe conlribulions viII be accounled for
by cily and lovn and granled back doIIar-for-doIIar lo A&C organizalions lhrough IocaI
cuIluraI counciIs by lhe Massachusells CuIluraI CounciI.

My vife Kalhy}o, ovner of oss Academy of Ierforming Arls in Hanson, is a member of lhe
Whilman CuIluraI CounciI and knovs hov imorlanl every doIIar is lo rovide aII lhe annuaI
evenls, concerls and rograms lhal enrich our lovns, said Re. DiehI. Giving eoIe an
olion al lax lime lo check a box and add lo lhal ooI of funds is a greal vay lo insure lhal ve
never Iose our conneclion lo lhe arls.

The biII's fiIers, Re. Cory Alkins (D-Concord) and Re. Randy Hunl (R-Sandvich), noled lhal
aboul $1 miIIion er year is conlribuled lo lhe funds currenlIy Iisled on lhe Massachusells lax
relurn vilhoul lhe benefil of any adverlising. Our hoe is lhal A&C organizalions viII lake lhe
Iead lo creale ad camaigns lo make eoIe avare of lhis oorlunily lo suorl lheir IocaI arl
and cuIlure scene, noled Re. Hunl. A coordinaled efforl couId easiIy generale more lhan $1
miIIion in annuaI conlribulions for lhe MCDI.

I am hay lhal my ReubIican coIIeague fiIed lhis IegisIalion lhal creales a nev revenue
slream lo suorl lhe arls and cuIluraI seclors in Massachusells, said Alkins. These seclors
are crilicaI lo lhe economic vilaIily of our slale and I am roud lo suorl lhis biII. We need
more of lhis kind of innovalive lhinking.

This IegisIalion offers an innovalive vay lo heI fund our cuIluraI counciIs and rovide a
boosl for arls and cuIluraI rograms in Hanson and Whilman," said Re. CulIer.

Re. Alkins is House Chair of lhe }oinl Commillee on Tourism, Arls and CuIluraI DeveIomenl.
Re. Hunl is a CIA and member of lhe }oinl Commillee on Revenue. Iurlher informalion
regarding lhis biII is avaiIabIe from Samanlha Schenk al (617) 722-2015 or Susann KoeIsch al
(617) 722-2800 x8743.

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