HOW I SEE IT: Theater will provide boost for town

Part 2 of 2. See Monday’s paper for the first installment.

Now, please do not think that the town of Culpeper will not gain anything from its $1.5 million investment in the State Theatre.

It will get paid back from the sales of theater tickets (sales tax); it will get money from the theatergoers who eat before or after the show (meals tax); it will bring visitors to our downtown who will come for the weekend and shop (more sales tax); and people will wish to stay the night (more sales tax). Here’s the best of all: Culpeper will be such a delightful place to live that people will move here (real estate tax, meals tax, sales tax and an increase in the local tax base).

Sounds like a win/win to me!

The goal of the theater is not to be out of reach for the local residents; there is to be a wide range of shows and activities so everyone in the community can be involved and participate in what the theater will have to offer. It’s a place where our local theater groups can strut their talent and entertain us.

It will provide a rich cultural flavor to the region, which can be a very powerful motivator when drawing newcomers into the community. The State Theatre is not about to become “the rural Kennedy Center,” even though the chairs were donated by the Kennedy Center.

In further comment to people’s opinions about “money better spent,” I certainly understand and do not disagree about the need to support the safe house, a community pool, better access for people with disabilities, etc. However, what exactly does the State Theatre have to do with those? Where were the proponents of these important projects during the last election? When was the last time they showed up at the budget hearing and expressed their support for these “money better spent” ideas?

Our Town Council is taking a proactive step in considering the positive long-term impact the State Theatre will have on the historic downtown and the town as a whole. It is important not to use the lack of town support for one issue over another when trying to look out for the best interest of the community.

If you want to support any of these projects mentioned above, please do so by attending budget meetings but not by writing a negative letter to the newspaper criticizing the theater project. It is very important to support what you believe in by making it a priority and attending budget hearings to understand the council’s position.

I believe in the State Theatre project and urge our residents to express their support by calling our Town Council and, of course, stop by the theater and meet its director Raven Yates and try to understand what this project has to offer.