We editorialized last week on the need for more funding for the arts in California and the Valley. The numbers are in: Non-profit arts activities in California "add $5.4 billion to the state's economy; support more than 160,000 jobs; generate nearly $300 million in state and local taxes; rank California as the nation's leader, with more arts-related businesses and more people employed in the creative industries than in any other state; and are the equivalent of 10,000 small businesses."

That's from a new study commissioned by the California Arts Council. Yet arts funding has slipped badly in recent years.

We're missing a good bet here. The arts aren't simply about enrichment and fun -- though they certainly provide that. They are also a significant economic engine for California. Funding the arts isn't wasteful spending, it's an investment that pays big dividends.