State Senate Evaluates California Film Incentives

A bill granting tax breaks for California film and TV production made its way to the state Senate for final consideration on Tuesday. The Golden State's incentive program, or Assembly Bill 1069, was up for an extension of five years, but the state Senate Appropriations Committee reduced the period to only one year, reported Deadline. The reduction illustrates the state's tightening of its purse given its $ 9 billion deficit.

Industry supporters argue California needs the tax breaks to compete with other states offering similar incentives. Permit agency FilmLA released stats on Tuesday saying that overall production in L.A. County is up six percent from the same period a year ago, but New York City also has experienced a jump in productions with 23 shows filming there.  Some critics say that the state should be focusing on prioritizing expenditures, not offering tax breaks to a rich industry, and should terminate the incentives. A recent study by the Los Angeles Country Economic Development Corp., however, argued that the tax break program has grossed $3.8 billion in economic output and since 2009 provided 20,040 jobs. 

Comments

[DadinWestchester]

This is why New York has gained share in film and tv production. Producers want a multi year commitment to shoot a series or film. Some will stay in LA, but most will look elsewhere, like NYC that offer incentives. Very short sighted on the Left Coast.

[William Perron]

I can not understand why so many in the film and video production business support the Demoncratic Party when it has such a short sighted view of our industry and the taxes we pay and the jobs we create. California is controlled by Demoncrats at every level and for the legislature to screw the producers of such a valuable industry only serves to demonstrate how out of touch with reality the tax and spend Demoncrats are. And the brainwashed voters keep voting the same know nothings back into office. Think before you vote next time or you will have to move to New York to work, and working in snow is not fun.

[in2Art-n-Film]

Yikes... Ya gotta be kiddin' me! I guess the Senate Appropriations Committee thinks you just call up all your friends, report to the set and someone hands out copies of the Script and then you make a movie(?) Somebody needs to inform these knuckleheads that pre-production can take OVER A YEAR to get all the pieces to fit. IF these left-wing Idiots pass this as a ONE YEAR Tax Incentive; guess what? Even MORE productions will be shipping out. It's a BUSINESS... and the Left Coast has been Anti-Business for years. Hey, did anybody tell these BOZOs about all the empty factories OUTSIDE of CA that are being converted into Sound Stages?