Dixon council, band reach funding compromise

DIXON - The City Council will be making a lesser cut to the Dixon Municipal Band’s funding following a couple months of debate.

In early budget talks in February, a majority of the council decided to cut the band’s funding in half from $21,000 to $10,000. That would leave $11,000 for next year before a fund earmarked for the band would be depleted.

There was push back that the band would be a good driver for outdoor events when COVID-19 restrictions are expected to ease, and cutting their funding would limit their options. The band also has historic significance in the community and has been long supported by the city, Councilmen Dennis Considine and Mike Venier said.

For the last few years, the council has advised band leadership that they need to step up fundraising efforts to become more self-sustainable, with concerns that the city isn’t bringing in enough revenue and the band would be competing with other line items in the budget.

The council approved a budget allocating $15,000 for the band, and Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said he’s been in talks with band director Jon James about different options for going forward, such as creating a foundation for the band where the city can do some type of matching funding. For example, if the band raised $20,000, the city could kick in $10,000 or sponsor a special event.

“$15,000 is better than nothing but it somewhat disturbs me that we have to be so nit-picking about funding a historic entity of our community,” Considine said. “We shouldn’t have to play badminton with the band every year for their budget.”

Jim Higby, business manager for the band who’s been with the group for decades, spoke to the council and said the city has been providing funding since the Great Depression, and he cannot picture the community without its namesake band.

The city can levy property tax dollars to fund the band, but has not done so since 2014 in order to prioritize other expenses such as pensions, and the city is tax-capped by the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.