Three cheers for Barbara Bailey for supporting taxpayers in this difficult time with common sense solutions. I applaud the suspension of public funding for the Washington State Percent for Art Programs. Art that cannot find a real buyer is not art that should be paid for with our taxes. “Professional artists” who look for state support so that they can run their art “businesses” should look elsewhere in this difficult economy.

Just as a side note, I was once involved in watching the choice of an “art” piece for a public building. It was a new school. The artists who chose to be in the state catalog were ones willing to jump through a lot of hoops and fill out many forms to be considered. They were not necessarily the great artists of the day.

Just watching the process that our non-artistic administrator went through, as he chose the final piece that was forever in our midst, was appalling. I fear such is often the case. Let’s leave the selection and purchase of art to appreciative individuals, not to bureaucrats spending public money.

Nancy Thompson

Clinton