The preliminary decision to suspend the $72,000 program capped a roller-coaster 18 months for Downers Grove arts groups, which had been bolstered by an August 2008 council decision to return to the  program’s original focus: awarding grants to arts, cultural and other community-minded events capable of drawing patrons.

The idea was that said patrons would dine in and stay in Downers Grove, replenishing the hotel-motel tax.

The municipal code currently earmarks eight percent of hotel-motel tax revenues to fund community grants. If the council chooses to discontinue the program, the money will be redirected to the general fund.

Local arts groups, including the Downers Grove Choral Society, the Grove Players and the Midwest Ballet Theater, had urged the council to cut rather than completely suspend the grants, as I reported in last week’s Sun column.

Even if the council were to maintain the program, it would have been significantly smaller, given the recessionary ravages on hotel-motel tax revenues, which have fluctuated more wildly than even sales tax revenues.

While the hotel-motel tax brought in more than $1 million in 2007, current estimates call for 2010 revenues to reach only $700,000, a 30 percent reduction in three years.

While not everyone agrees that the arts deserve taxpayer funding, local productions do draw patrons — an estimated 15,000 this year — and routinely struggle to get by.

If community grants dry up, so undoubtedly will the groups’ ability to bring in guest artists and musicians and, possibly, even to stay afloat.

Now might be a good time to support these productions, if you are at all willing or able.