California Democrats are looking to pass TV and Film tax incentives to help spur the California entertainment industry.
According to Deadline, 28 members of the California Democratic congressional delegation asserted that “the future of California’s creative culture and economy depends on it.”
Democratic congressional delegation are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to sign an enhanced tax credit to keep film and TV production from leaving California and going to other popular filming locations such as Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina.
“We fear a day, not too far off, when the film industry in California is hollowed out and it becomes easier to produce a movie or television show in New York or Louisiana than in California,” the delegation said in a statement sent to California Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins. “As production moves out of our state, skilled human capital will relocate along with it, and our greatest competitive advantage, our talented workforce will move elsewhere. If that happens, it will be a tragedy for our state’s economy and our cultural history.” [via]
A bill will be introduced and enhanced the state’s existing tax credit. The amount by which the tax credit will be increased has not yet been determined. The current tax credit expires next year and according to Rep. Adam Schiff, thousands of people’s careers are dependant upon the tax incentives. “Hundreds of thousands of jobs hang in the balance. If we fail to take decisive action to enhance the state film tax credit, we run the real risk that many well-paying jobs will be lost for good to states with far more generous credits.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has been pushing for the city to expand the tax incentives. “Of the 54 big-budget feature films in 2012 and 2013, only one shot exclusively here in the State of California. And, in terms of Los Angeles, feature film production has dropped nearly 50% over the last 15 years,” he wrote to the delegation. “It’s a crisis, make no mistake, but it’s one we can solve, and this legislation will help level the playing field against the other states that are taking jobs away from working Californians.”
Discuss this story with fellow Project Casting fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @projectcasting.
