There was a hearing on Friday about the effectiveness of the state’s film and television tax credit program. It was led by State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge), chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Preservation of California’s Entertainment Industry.
This all came from an article written by Joe Piasecki in the LA Times.
State tax credits designed to keep film and television shoots from leaving California have generated $2.2 billion in economic activity since 2009, according to testimony given Friday during a public hearing in Pasadena. Since the summer of 2009, the state has issued $300 million in tax credits to film and television companies in order to compete with incentives offered by other states and countries that over the past decade have lured billions in industry spending away from California.
“California’s film industry is under threat, and its dominance has been threatened for at least 10 years. We no longer take this industry for granted,” said Amy Lemisch, director of the California Film Commission, which administers the tax credit program.
Lemisch argued that film and television shoots stimulate the state economy by spending $100,000 or more per day per on-location shoot in California. The short-lived FX series “Terriers,” for example, spent $16.4 million filming one season of episodes in San Diego, she said.
In total, the state’s tax incentive program has resulted in 116 projects spending an estimated $2.2 billion filming in California rather than in other states and countries. That figure includes $728 million in wages to below-the-line workers (basically everyone but actors, directors, writers and producers).
“We’re talking about something that’s not just Los Angeles-centric,” Portantino said in reaction to those numbers, which included shoots that took place throughout the state.
Sounds like the advocates for continuing/expanding California's tax incentive program did a good job on Friday, now is anyone listening?
Sharon
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Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to see you at the Race for the Cure! I enjoyed seeing so many friends on such a beautiful day.
I wanted to tell you that my older brother works for Assemblyman Portantino in his Sacramento office. If you ever want your foot in that door I know the right people!
Janet
Ooooh,
ReplyDeleteThat's valuable. Maybe he would sit down with Jim Horwitz from the City Council and help us devise a game plan for the city.
I wish we had a little more time to chat at the Race.
Sharon