Posted on 03/22/2014 4:14:07 PM PDT by rightwingerpatriot
It appears that Hollywood is in a lot of trouble, not to mention California as a whole. California offers a paltry amount of tax incentives for filming within the state as opposed to most other states or even a number of countries. In fact, California's tax incentive program for the film and television industry currently stands at $100 million annually while New York's program is at $420 million. Some states don't even have a cap. What this means is that Hollywood is fleeing Tinsletown to film out of state, which is costing California billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs. It's been estimated that the state lost $9.6 billion in economic output and 47,600 jobs due to the film industry leaving the state. In 2013 alone, a full 75% of big budget motion pictures were filmed outside of California. The reason why? It's cheaper to film elsewhere.
I find it hysterical that Hollywood is begging the government of California to increase their tax incentives in order to keep films local. They actually acknowledge the fact that lower costs equals more production. Thus they ask for lower tax rates and breaks. The irony is that these are the same people who clamor for higher taxes and an expanding bloated government. Yet when it's their business being affected, they almost sound like a Tea Party activist but such rhetoric dies as soon as they get their corporate welfare. Stooges like Harvey Weinstein are lobbying for more tax breaks while supporting the agenda of President Obama and other progressive liberals.
The fact is that lower taxes helps all businesses. I find the Hollywood crowd to be utter hypocrites as they ask for taxpayer-funded handouts but decry lower taxes for everybody else. Is making a teen slasher flick somehow more noble than opening a veterinary clinic or a clothing store? The answer is no. It sickens me to see these blowhards railing against the evils of capitalism and identifying with Occupy Wall Street but take advantage of our system to become fabulously wealthy. Their support of higher taxes for everybody but them denies the rest of us the opportunity to rise up through hard work and entrepreneurship.
Another point of contention that I have is the tax incentives themselves. I'm against all kinds of corporate welfare. Money given to Hollywood is money taken away from other projects that need it far more, such as hospitals and roads. Hollywood spins the belief that the tax incentives generate extra income for the local state, but there have been plenty of independent studies that have shown that the extra revenue generated does not equate to the tax dollars given. What's even more despicable is that these are millionaires asking up peasants for money for them to work. Yesterday, Kevin Spacey met with Maryland lawmakers to lobby for more funds to keep filming House of Cards within the state. Maryland's incentive cap is being raised to $18.5 million if the votes go through. Sounds paltry, right? Well, Kevin Spacey alone has a net worth of $50 million. If he's so gung-ho on the show, why doesn't he invest some of his own cash into the project? Instead, we have Hollywood stealing dollars out of our pocket at the same time they call us ignorant, racist rubes for protesting against Obama and his insane spending.
Hey Hollywood, if you ain’t 1 percenters there ain’t no such thing. To quote Nancy Pelosi “embrace the suck”
Yeah, Dallas’ government loves a good shakedown.
“Yesterday, Kevin Spacey met with Maryland lawmakers to lobby for more funds to keep filming House of Cards within the state.”
It would be cheaper to cough up about 40 bucks to buy a copy of the original (and superior, IMHO) British miniseries.
Frank Underwood’s got nothing on Francis Urquhart!
All the libs and leftist in that industry will follow them....A win win....
No, they are losing money due to poor production and worse providing value to their audiences.
A friend of mine in LA said the industry is really hurting. That Craft Services, make-up artists, PAs ... lots of people “below the line” are getting stiffed. But they keep working because they’re afraid they’ll be blacklisted if they complain too much.
~Hollywood Losing Movies and Jobs Due to Tax Incentives~
OK, bye!
~No, they are losing money due to poor production and worse providing value to their audiences.~
Sure. I don’t remember a single really good movie in years. Most are tasteless politicized BS.
We’re in the same boat. Part of my job is to go to power lunches and “get together” with people I despise politically. It’s a real acting job on our part. I should get an Oscar for my efforts.
Craft services? I know one major studio contracted with those cheap mexican mobile food trucks to provide the food because the previous companies were getting too expensive. The funny part is that the union contract states they need to be fed. It didn’t say anything about what kind of crappy food they will be served.
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