Should the Kennedy Center give back the 25 million, since they laid off their performers?
The purpose of the stimulus funds were to keep workers employed, or at least paid, for at least eight weeks during this crises, But the National Symphony Orchestra was laid off with one week’s severance. after getting a whopping $25 million of the stimulus bill
What gives?
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25 Answers
Did the government put any requirements on the money?
Why did the Kennedy center get included in the first place? Does it need capital to fix the building?
I know the 25KK was a Dem ask in the package. I figured it was to retain the workers associated with the center.
So, I am sort of surprised. But nobody is going to give back 25 million.
Are you watching what’s happening to the billions going to the airlines and banks as closely as this 25,000,000 which is actually a drop in the bucket?
How are we to practice social distancing while requiring employees to go to work?? With few to no one buying tickets to get in to see their show, WHY should the orchestra be required to come in to perform??? They can most definitely practice from home…I feel fairly confident that most will return to work once the virus is no longer controlling our lives!!!
@LadyMarissa: The point was not that people should be required to work. The point is that the orchestra should not be laid off when the organization just received 25 million from the Feds.
I knew that money was going to be abused when it was voted on. I’m sure there are many more abusing the privilege. I don’t see these people as essential personnel & I don’t see any reason to stress over this when people are expecting me to just lay down & die for the cause. It’s more right wing bullshit trying to deflect us from a more serious problem!!!
From that link above.
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In her statement to the Post, Rutter said the $25 million would “provide long-term cash flow for essential personnel to ensure that we can reopen the Center and re-employ our staff and musicians.”
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I think companies lay of people so they go on the unemployment system. In some cases this helps the employee, when it is a small business who cannot continue to pay, but large companies that have millions, and I will include the Kennedy center, should continue to pay at reduced pay and maintain the health benefits.
Remember when I said that everyone (Democrats and Republicans) rushed in to pay for testing without questioning profit margins, and handing out lots of government money? I am all for a stimulus package, all for testing everyone who needs it, but it should be done with more prudence.
From what I understand the money being sent to individuals is going to be paid back by the individual at tax time, is that right? I thought employers needed to keep employees on staff for 8 weeks to not have to pay back the money? So, doesn’t Kennedy Center lose the money then? I’m so confused.
Chaos is starting. Strikes, scarcity of some items, People feeling like they are risking their lives, it is going to get scary.
The Kennedy Center isn’t a private company. It is owned by the federal government. As such the federal government pays for it utilities and upkeep (although production costs are paid through private donations and sponsorships). That’s what the $25 million was for – to ensure the the facility would be maintained during this time when there’s nothing going on. It was not to pay for musicians (who are unionized and already have unemployment benefits in place).
But there’s something to be said for fudging lying about the premise of the question in order to make a political point and troll people.
So this question, while inaccurate and not particularly factual, accomplished its political goal.
So, you’re saying it didn’t happen? Its just ‘right wing bullshit’?
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The workers needed to maintain the facilities are still employed. Seems all the musicians total pay for a month is 400 thousand bucks if I’m not mistaken. Maybe if trump did not cut the funding by 10 million the musicians might have gotten more money?
Obviously the one in charge is doing some prioritizing. To question this person’s decision by a higher-up is fine. For the sake of transparency.
No, the 400K isn’t for a month it’s 400K a week for the entire orchestra. 1.6 mil a month. Not sure if they still get paid during…off-season? Also according to Wikipedia there’s about 90 musicians in an orchestra. Around 4,450 a week for each.
@jca2 It’s in that link article you yourself posted. Thought you read it before you posted. Lol
@mazingerz88: My link does say weekly payroll for the musicians is 400k but then when I googled their individual salaries, I got the 79k (two links I posted from federal pay and glassdoor). I know you posted the total number of musicians in an orchestra from Wiki but these musicians are not making $4,450 per week.
@jca2 Merely made an assumption based on the 400K a week figure divided equally. I was curious about how much each of them could be making in a week. If you noticed I don’t know if they are being paid a fixed salary or if it depends on how many performances they do in a year.
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