Posted on 04/09/2015 9:47:52 AM PDT by MichCapCon
The Michigan House recently passed House Bill 4122 which would end the state’s film incentive program. The legislation now moves on to the Senate.
But Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, has raised concerns about ending the subsidy. And Gov. Rick Snyder, who previously proposed eliminating the subsidies, now says he doesn’t believe ending the program abruptly is an “appropriate answer.”
So those are the obstacles standing in the path of terminating payouts to Hollywood. The good news is that it is believed most Michigan Senators want to end the subsidies. There may end up being an agreement between the branches of state government, but they should resist the temptation to merely reduce the appropriation.
The state should cut the film incentives once and for all for three simple reasons:
1. No increase in film jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are fewer film jobs in the state today than when the film incentives began in 2008.
2. No permanent jobs. According to the Michigan Film Office (which distributes the subsidies), there were zero full-time jobs created from the program last year.
3. No money. According to the Senate Fiscal Agency, the incentives bring in only 11 cents on the dollar spent — a huge loss for taxpayers.
By all fair measures, the nearly $500 million devoted to the film incentive program has been a waste. It should be ended and the money redirected to better priorities.
so many films these days require endless miles of abandoned homes and businesses.....
Cut taxes across the board and call it good.
I see they’re filming a King Kong flick in Detroit this summer starring JK Simmons among others.
Simmons threw out the first pitch of the year (He’s from Detroit)
Maybe since ole Mikey now has an expensive condo in New York City and another snazzy place in Torch Lake worth $2 million (amongst his real estate portfolio), the Michigan taxpayers need not give him handouts anymore.
There is a good one that was filmed in Detroit with Ray Liotta called Narc. 90s I think!
Alaska has them too, that is why there are so many shows based there on cable. All pretty much fake like “Alaskan Bush Family” or whatever its called. Very very few Alaskans are employed in these productions and very little money stays there.
They even end up helping fund movies that go straight to PPV and nobody watches.
Then of course there is my favourite, “Beverly Hills Cop”.
Great footage shot in and around the Detroit area.
To Hollywood, taxes are for the “little people.”
Lots of movies have been filmed in Michigan over the years before there were subsidies. Gotta figure, Traverse City used to be a playground for the Hollywood set back in the 20s and 30s.
JK Simmons was saying that their primary reason for wanting to film in Detroit is the art deco architecture that can’t really be found anywhere else.
4 brothers was good. Both set and filmed in Detroit.
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