PROVIDENCE — First there were the $84,000 neon lights on the side of the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Then there was the $100,000 recording of birds chirping outside the new Kent County Courthouse.

And who can forget the proposed $500,000 cloud machine that would have floated into the terminal at T.F. Green Airport years back?

When it comes to using taxpayer dollars for public art installations, some lawmakers say it’s time to cap the amount of money spent.

A state law enacted 20 years ago requires that at least 1 percent of the construction budget for any new or expanded state building be set aside for an art installation that will make the building more inviting.

The idea was to promote the arts in well-traveled public spots and the law has helped place dozens of sculptures, paintings and murals around the state, in addition to the more unusual pieces.

But as Rhode Island grapples with a massive budget deficit, several legislators including bill sponsor Rep. Leonidas P. Raptakis, D-Coventry, say it’s no longer realistic to spend so much and are proposing a limit on the amount allocated for art.

Still in the negotiation stages, the proposal would likely call for capping the percentage at no more than 1 percent, and possibly giving budgeting oversight to a public arts committee.

“The idea of spending a million dollars on art in today’s climate is just not reasonable or feasible,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Stephen D. Alves said in a committee hearing to address the subject last night.

The capping proposal has reignited a longtime Rhode Island debate about what constitutes art and what the public role should be in financing and promoting it.

Randall Rosenbaum, director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, which oversees the public art selection process, says good art is intended to spark people’s imagination while capturing the mood of an environment.

That includes the recently added sound installation at the Kent County Courthouse that mimics melodic bird songs from a wildlife sanctuary.

But legislators said yesterday they’ve heard a different song from constituents who question the project’s artistic value. “I have never received as much mail as I did from people about those birds. People are outraged by it,” said Cranston Sen. Hanna M. Gallo.

Raptakis said the sheer number of calls he got prompted him to look further. When a review by the Senate fiscal adviser projected that the bird installation could likely end up costing at least 30 percent more by the time interest is factored in, the senator started drafting a proposal to rework the law.

Artists and advocates such as Rosenbaum emphasize that art is not just about being obviously beautiful; it’s also about opening the people’s eyes to new interpretations of beauty.

“When they first said they were going to light the river on fire [in Providence], everyone thought that was crazy and look what happened,” said Bill Brackett, technical director at the Providence Performing Arts Center and a member of the state’s Council on the Arts, referring to the Providence summertime phenomenon WaterFire.

As for the bird songs, Rosenbaum said the state court system specified that it wanted a multimedia installation to reflect the modern feel of the building.

Inventive art forms aside, Rosenbaum said it’s a mistake to cap public art money. Designing a piece with a specific building in mind often calls for a large sculpture that invariably costs more to create, ship and insure. Limit physical size and you limit the project’s impact.

“Rhode Island is really known nationally for our arts. We’re known for our public art collection and for the types of artists that we have in that public art collection,” said Lisa Carnevale, director of Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts. “Putting a cap on it seriously diminishes the strength of what we have in terms of our program and our ability to attract public art.”

Those on both sides of the debate last night ultimately chose to return to the drawing board, where they will incorporate ideas from a separate proposal by Rep. Eileen S. Naughton, D-Warwick, that would create a diverse committee to help select artists and draw up project budgets. The Naughton plan would also give preference to Rhode Island artists.

Raptakis said that in working with the arts community he hopes to find a solution that will save the state money while protecting the artistic endeavors that he calls a vibrant and rich part of the public spaces in this state.

Alves approved of that plan last night. “I think everyone is supportive of the arts but let’s come in with something realistic,” he said.

cneedham@projo.com