Posted on 11/03/2014 1:57:00 PM PST by MichCapCon
The Michigan Senate passed a bill yesterday that gets rid of the sunset provision for the state’s film incentive program, meaning the subsidies are set to continue beyond 2017. Senate Bill 1103 also removes a clause that previously capped the amount taxpayers would spend on highly paid out-of-state workers (such as actors, directors and producers), which is currently set at $540,000.
Mackinac Center experts have railed against the subsidy program because it has cost nearly half a billion dollars, but resulted in no new jobs, takes money away from other projects that better serve the public and is widely recognized as one of the poorest ways for states to spend tax dollars.
Joe Henchman is the vice president of state projects for the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. He was in Michigan recently to give an award to Gov. Snyder for tax reform and was asked by MIRS News about the film credit program.
“These states (with film incentive programs) are essentially writing checks to Hollywood — which is one of the most profitable industries in America — for what amount to transient jobs that don’t last very long,” Henchman said.
He expands upon this in a blog on the Tax Foundation website:
A big reason why Michigan pared the program back was a 2010 state-commissioned study that found the incentives cost $117 million and created 1,039 full-time equivalent jobs, for a cost of $112,800 per new job. Due to the nature of the film industry, most of the jobs are temporary and transient, with production companies using out-of-state labor to fill many positions. Since then, California has tripled its film credit spending to over $300 million per year, and New York is over $400 million per year. To do battle with these states requires writing enormous checks to one of the most profitable industries in America. I would think Michigan has bigger priorities for its tax dollars than handouts for Hollywood.
SB 1103 now heads to the House for consideration. Members of the GOP-dominated chamber have a decision on whether they will stand by their previous support for ending the program, or take a vote to continue it indefinitely.
so... they went and made it worse
Unfortunately they seem to think have to compete with some 38 other states that are doing the same. Sadly, we used to attract movie makers based on the simple fact that it was cheap to film here.
These people are STUPID for even allowing Hollywood to film anything in the State. If States would just simply refuse to give Permits to Hollywood Productions, it would not take very long before Hollywood started PAYING STATES TO FILM THERE.
Big fat guy’s still gotta eat, right...?
Of course you have the problem that Robocop's Hollywood "armor" won't stop any actually Detroit bullets.
Good to see my Senator (Colbeck) was one of the four to vote no.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.