The Met Gets Funding from Rich Patrons, So Why $4 Million In Covid “Bailouts”?

Recently, the tickets to the 2021 Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala in New York City cost between $30,000 and $35,000, and whole tables bought by big brands and fashion houses went for between $200,000 and $300,000.

Yet the iconic New York arts institution collects millions from federal, state, and local taxpayers every year.

The star-studded event benefits the museum’s Costume Institute, and this year raised a record-breaking $16.75 million.

News coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “Tax the Rich” dress and whether she was wrong to accept a gift of a $35,000 ticket was everywhere following the event.

Why should taxpayers foot the bill for an institution that can raise its own money from the 1 percent — Hollywood elite, politicians, design, and fashion mavens?

The Met has a $3.6 billion endowment, yet last year campaigned for $4 billion in federal Covid “bailout” for America’s museums and cultural non-profits, itself among them.

Such a largess is more than 14 state governments receive in federal aid during a typical year.

Sure, there are plenty of smaller, community museums that cater to the less wealthy — and don’t charge $25 for admission — that could use the funds.

The Met isn’t one of them.

However, the museum gets lots of taxpayer money, including $4 million from the CARES Act Employee Retention Credit.

It then went on to cut more than 400 positions — about 20% of its staff.

Since the Met can clearly raise millions from its wealthy patrons, it should stick to doing that and keep its hands out of taxpayers’ pockets.

The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com.