Kirk joins talks on creative economy

By The Times Staff

May 07, 2008 09:52 am

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Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk has met with community development, tourism and cultural experts to explore leading-edge economic strategies to foster the growth and success of the creative sector in cities.

Kirk last week joined fellow mayors from across the state in a meeting at Woburn's Raytheon Missile Defense Center to discuss "The Creative Economy: Success Stories and Opportunities" at the monthly meeting of the Massachusetts Mayors' Association, a member group of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Discussions centered on opportunities for economic development through investing in the arts, culture, tourism and related fields with state Rep. Eric Turkington, the House chairman of the Committee on Tourism and Cultural Development; Kathleen Bitetti, the executive director of the Artists Foundation; Anita Walker, director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council; and Erin Williams, the cultural development officer for the city of Worcester. The mayor also participated in a discussion led by two of her colleagues, Mayor John Barrett of North Adams and Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem, leaders of two cities that are seen as models of success in developing a vibrant creative economy.

"I am very committed to fostering a strong creative economy in our community," Kirk said. "There are very clear benefits that come from effective partnerships and strategies to build a strong creative sector at home, including attracting increased commerce and investment, and a providing our residents with vibrant cultural opportunities and a higher quality of life."

The Massachusetts Municipal Association — headed this year by Gloucester City Council President Bruce Tobey — also provided a detailed briefing on the status of local aid, the state budget deliberations, important legislation on Beacon Hill, and outlined key priorities for 2008 and beyond. The MMA's agenda includes state revenue sharing and winning increases in municipal and education aid, reducing reliance on local property taxes, expanding the Chapter 90 construction program that funds maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges, ensuring adequate state reimbursements for school construction projects, and providing cities with greater flexibility and authority to innovate and manage at the local level, including local option revenues and closing the telecommunications property tax loophole that costs local taxpayers $80 million a year.