| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Symphonies, clambakes and Mardi Gras parades are all part of the fun in Hollywood that taxpayers underwrite, to the tune of more than $2 million a year.Most of the money comes from redevelopment funds created to clean up slums and blight. Broward County's other large cities don't spend nearly as much on such festivities.
According to city financial records, July Fourth and New Year's Eve celebrations cost almost $150,000 each. Bills for Mardi Gras last year totaled $98,000 and included the purchase of party hats and beads. More than $90,000 last year went to state beauty pageants on the beach.
City leaders defend the expense, saying the events draw throngs of residents and visitors to the downtown and beach and promote Hollywood as a cultural mecca for the region. Others, though, contend the city should not spend tax money on luxuries and that residents should decide for themselves what sort of entertainment to support.
"This is a pot of money that is not closely scrutinized and has become a slush fund," said Roger Desjarlais, a former county administrator critical of city redevelopment spending. "They've lost sight that it is public money."
Mayor Mara Giulianti said she likes seeing people pack downtown streets for a car show or fill the beach to watch a dance revue, which she thinks is an essential part of redeveloping those areas and thus a legitimate use of the tax money. She says backing cultural events is as important as paving streets and providing police protection.
"I happen to be a big believer in arts and culture, and one of the things a city does is expose people to their cultural heritage and provide access to the arts," she said. "There are more elements than just police and fire to establish a good quality of life."
Hollywood's spending to produce its own events and sponsor those run by private organizations has long enjoyed broad support from the entire City Commission, and increased 30 percent last year alone to $2.3 million. The growth in spending comes at a time when rising property values have caused tax bills in the city to soar for homebuyers, businesses, landlords and snowbirds.
The year-ending Ocean Dance, which draws 6,000 people to see the likes of Mikhail Baryshnikov and the Koresh Dance Co., has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the growing largesse. The city spent $42,000 on Ocean Dance in 2001, but the 2005 event cost taxpayers $149,900. More than $135,000 in city checks had been written to cover the 2006 event by the end of November.
That money went to pay the nonprofit Art & Culture Center of Hollywood to produce the event, buy fireworks and acquire sound systems and staging. The city this year will spend $1 million to buy its own stage.
Contributions to the Hollywood Philharmonic and the South Florida Ballet Theater also have shot up dramatically.
The philharmonic received less than $15,000 in city aid in 2001, but Hollywood account ledgers show the group received $107,500 for the first 11 months of 2006. City sponsorship of the Ballet Theater has grown from less than $10,000 in 2001 to $81,500 between January and November 2006.
The city is equally generous with events that feature swimsuits or the environment rather than woodwinds or tutus. The money paid to the Florida USA and Miss Florida Teen USA pageants last year is three times what the city spent in 2001. And this year's city budget earmarks $120,000 for a new beachside fair featuring environmental art.
And although the city ended its longtime relationship with the Orange Bowl to throw pregame bashes on the beach, officials have set aside even more money to sponsor a beach party the day before the Super Bowl in Miami next month. City sponsorship of last year's Orange Bowl party ran $60,000, but totals $100,000 for the Super Bowl.
"It's a lot of money, but if we didn't have something to offer tourists and people, do you think they'd come?" asked Commissioner Fran Russo. "It's part of the drawing card for Hollywood."
For many of the groups, the money received for producing events is just the tip of city assistance. The Art & Culture Center, for example, has received $3.1 million from the city since 2001, including operating subsidies and money to publish a cultural magazine. The Ballet Theater received $30,000 in 2003 to move downtown.
Businesses and arts supporters stand behind the City Commission's decision to spend heavily on events. "Without the city's support, there would not be art in Hollywood," said Lynda DeChane of the Ballet Theater. "This is one thing that brings extra value back to the community. When people buy a home, they want to know there are events available in the community and that they aren't out in the boonies."
Peter Brewer, a Hollywood resident who has long criticized the City Commission, disagrees. "It's tax money that could be going for needed city services and instead it's just one big giveaway after another," he said.
Hollywood's event spending far outpaces other area cities with more than 100,000 residents: Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach and Coral Springs.
City account ledgers detail that more than $50,000 is spent on each of five annual events: Ocean Dance, Mardi Gras, a pre-football bowl game party, the Fourth of July celebration and the beauty pageants. Coral Springs and Pompano Beach have no events that costly to taxpayers; Fort Lauderdale and Pembroke Pines have one each.
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