Lawmaker Seeks Input on How Art Can Impact Economy

State Representative Thomas Petrone will be holding a public hearing on Thursday at the state capitol to explore the ways art can have an economic impact on a community. The hearing is being held in response to a failed bill sponsored by Petrone that would have created a five-year tax free zone around cultural centers. The bill was proposed as a way to increase business around cultural centers which have been struggling. The bill failed to pass in last year's legislative session, and Petrone says he wants to do more research and gather more insight on how the program can succeed.