Contact Information: 243 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155. Phone: (651) 296-5364. E-mail: rep.rob.eastlund@house.mn.

Send an e-mail to this elected official using MCA’s quick & easy Desktop Lobbyist.

2008 MCA Candidate Survey Results:

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts and cultural organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 4.5 million people in 2004.

Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?

Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts

2. Over the last several biennium the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council appropriations were cut by 34.5%. These are substantially larger cuts than the cuts to the overall state budget.

Question: Would you support an increase in arts funding to restore the cuts that were made, in recognition of the important role the arts and culture play in our economy and in our quality of life?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Support

3. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will be on the ballot this November, asking if citizens want to invest in clean water, open areas, arts and parks and trails. Over 80% of the initiative is for outdoors conservation, but 19.5% will also support arts, arts education, arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.

Question: Do you support the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment?
Yes; No; Don’t know

Answer: No

4. Nonprofit Organizations provide social services, health services, education, and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?

Strongly Agree; Somewhat Agree; Somewhat Disagree; Strongly Disagree

Answer: Strongly Agree

5. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. The arts are required both by No Child Left Behind and also by Minnesota’s school standards, but our schools are not required to report how they are meeting those standards.

Question: Would you support policies to increase accountability for school standards in the arts?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Support

6. Comments: We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota. Please use additional pages as necessary.

Question #3: I do not support “increasing” the sales tax

2006 MCA Candidate Survey Results: Candidate did not respond to survey.

Additional Notes from MCA: None.

2008 MCA Candidate Survey Results:

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts and cultural organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 4.5 million people in 2004.Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?

Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance

2. Over the last several biennium the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council appropriations were cut by 34.5%. These are substantially larger cuts than the cuts to the overall state budget.

Question: Would you support an increase in arts funding to restore the cuts that were made, in recognition of the important role the arts and culture play in our economy and in our quality of life?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Support

3. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will be on the ballot this November, asking if citizens want to invest in clean water, open areas, arts and parks and trails. Over 80% of the initiative is for outdoors conservation, but 19.5% will also support arts, arts education, arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.

Question: Do you support the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment?
Yes; No; Don’t know

Answer: Yes

4. Nonprofit Organizations provide social services, health services, education, and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?

Strongly Agree; Somewhat Agree; Somewhat Disagree; Strongly Disagree

Answer: Strongly Agree

5. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. The arts are required both by No Child Left Behind and also by Minnesota’s school standards, but our schools are not required to report how they are meeting those standards.

Question: Would you support policies to increase accountability for school standards in the arts?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support

6. Comments: We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota. Please use additional pages as necessary.

My undergraduate degree is a bachelor of fine arts in ceramics from the U of M, and I made my living for 5 years making and selling one-of-a-kind functional pottery as well as teaching. I have also served on the East Central Regional Arts Council. The arts are a cornerstone of what it means to be a Minnesotan – along with our outdoor heritage and our great education.

2006 MCA Candidate Survey Results:

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts and cultural organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 4.5 million people in 2004.
What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?
Check all that apply: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other.

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Other.

2. Over the last three biennium the State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council appropriations were cut by 34.5%. These are substantially larger cuts than the cuts to the overall state budget. Would you support an increase in arts funding to restore the cuts that were made, in recognition of the important role the arts and culture play in our economy and in our quality of life? Select One: Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed.

Answer: Enthusiastically Support.

3. During the 2006 legislative session the legislature considered a constitutional dedication of funds for water, hunting and angling and various cultural purposes including the arts. Would you support a similar constitutional amendment in the 2007 legislative session? Select One: Yes, No, Don’t Know

Answer: Yes.

4. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. Would you support policies and funding to increase the availability of the arts in our schools? Select One: Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support.

5. We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota.

Comments: A professionally-trained craftsman with a B.F.A. from the University of Minnesota, I am proud to serve on the East Central Arts Council. The arts are not only an essential part of Minnesota’s high quality of life, they also are a key component of the state’s economy. As state representative, I will continue to be a strong advocate for all of Minnesota’s cultural infrastructure.

Additional Notes from MCA: Arts Fact: Jeremy Kalin received a degree in ceramics from the University of Minnesota!

2006 MCA Candidate Survey Results:

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts and cultural organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 4.5 million people in 2004.
What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?
Check all that apply: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other.

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts.

2. Over the last three biennium the State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council appropriations were cut by 34.5%. These are substantially larger cuts than the cuts to the overall state budget. Would you support an increase in arts funding to restore the cuts that were made, in recognition of the important role the arts and culture play in our economy and in our quality of life? Select One: Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed.

Answer: Support.

3. During the 2006 legislative session the legislature considered a constitutional dedication of funds for water, hunting and angling and various cultural purposes including the arts. Would you support a similar constitutional amendment in the 2007 legislative session? Select One: Yes, No, Don’t Know

Answer: See comments.

4. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. Would you support policies and funding to increase the availability of the arts in our schools? Select One: Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed

Answer: Support.

5. We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota.

Comments: Q3: While I fully support the funding of the arts, I do not think this amendment is the answer. Being that Minnesota has consistently supported the arts, I would rather see them funded as a line item in the budget. This does not mean that I will not openly consider other options. I will look at the issue from all sides, but at this point I cannot say that I would support constitutionally dedicated funds.

I think I grew to truly appreciate the arts when I got to introduce my daughters to it – or perhaps more accurately, when my daughters introduced me… from community theater, dance recitals and choir concerts to seeing our first show at the Ordway, displaying my youngest daughters pictures on the walls, and watching my oldest impart her love to a new generation through her volunteer work. I have seen my daughters learn about diversity, creativity, acceptance and expression-and that is a gift that I believe should be available to every Minnesotan.

Additional Notes from MCA: Sen. Rick Olseen, DFL-Harris, and his family are “Rentheads” – avid fans of the Broadway musical “Rent” who follow the touring production across the country. Olseen has seen the show dozens of times, and his daughters have seen it at least 60 times.