Creativity.

Using a loose definition, Bloomington-Normal is full of it. A few years back, economist Richard Florida ranked hundreds of metro areas on a variety of factors to develop his creativity index. He used a number of categories from innovation to diversity. We ranked 150th overall. We ended up behind Champaign and Peoria - barely - and ahead of Decatur. But the number that jumps out was our "creative" rank. We were Number 1, far outdistancing our neighbors.

That top score was based on the number of people in the work force who belong to the creative class, which Florida defines as a person whose function is to "create meaningful new forms." He counted traditional creative jobs and scientists, professors and doctors and also "creative professionals" working in the financial, legal, health and management fields.

Two of Florida's best sellers, "The Rise of the Creative Class" and "The Flight of the Creative Class" looks at how this creative class is redefining how we live and work, with a huge impact on local, national and global economies.

We have a growing artistic community in Bloomington-Normal that defines and shines on the creative culture of the Twin Cities: Herb Eaton, Nicholas Africano, Michael and Thursday Dubina, Angel Ambrose, Susan Palmer, the list goes on and on, call the Twin Cities home. We have the Twin Cities Ballet Company and the McLean County Dance Association. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the only professional orchestra in downstate Illinois, performs at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

Our annual arts festivals attract hundreds of artists, many of whom are our neighbors and friends.

With the BCPA opening last fall, the spotlight shined even brighter on the arts community. Downtown businesses talked about how they could capitalize on the center's opening, and a lot of attention went to the restaurants and merchants. But the center will also raise the visibility and success of another often-times quiet segment of our diverse business community - the arts and the businesses that highlight them.

Writer Connie Seastedt went a-calling on some of those businesses and groups in this month's cover story to find out why they do it and how they survive.

Gross-receipts tax

Governor Rod Blagojevich unveiled his budget plan early in March, and he's fighting an uphill battle. Many smaller businesses probably received a mailing from Blagojevich after that assuaging their fears about his proposed gross receipts tax. The governor wants to fill the state's budget gap and fund his high priority health-care program with a new business tax, which he says will replace the loophole-filled corporate income tax system and bring in billions of dollars to the state's coffers.

A gross receipts tax, a depression-era construction, taxes a business's gross receipts, not their income and would include the service industry. (see story on page 27)

In the last few years, several states (none of our neighbors) have enacted similar taxes, including Ohio and Texas. Though Texas officials say they're seeing some benefits and support for the tax, Indiana recently repealed its longstanding gross receipts tax.

Truth to tell, it may be too early to tell in some of these states whether its good or bad. And it depends on what side of the aisle you're standing.

There are obvious benefits for the state, both in fixing its budget and increasing health-care coverage. But are those benefits going to outweigh the effects on our business climate? I encourage everyone to do their own research into the matter, contact your legislators and business groups and let them know your opinion.

Troy Clark

tclark@pantagraph.com