by Michael R. Allen
Efforts to secure Congressional passage of a fully funded Historic Preservation Fund have changed direction (see “More Federal Money for Historic Preservation Exists, Needs to be Appropriated”). Now that it is clear that the majority Democratic Party will not support full funding, the Coalition for Full Permanent Funding of the Historic Preservation Fund is pushing for annual allocation of the $50 million that Congress has appropriated to the fund since its creation.
Please contact your Congressperson today to state your support for full funding and urge as a minimum support for the same allocation level as last year.
Despite the impossibility, on January 22 the Coalition announced that the Coalition for Full Funding now has 111 members from 42 States and the District of Columbia. These preservation-related organizations and businesses are endorsing full funding. Perhaps in the future the Democratic majority will embrace funding the Historic Preservation Fund to the level authorized by the Reagan administration in 1982. The administration of President Barack Obama, who is a champion of public policy that encourages sustainability, would be the best time for full funding.