CA - Angelides: I'm open to tax breaks for film industry

Press-Enterprise ^ | June 29, 2006 | MICHAEL R. BLOOD

[calcowgirl]

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides said Thursday he would consider using tax breaks to stop Hollywood jobs from fleeing California, even at a time when he has warned of looming budget problems and what he calls unjustified corporate tax loopholes.

Angelides, the state treasurer, also accused Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of doing "zero, zip" to slow the exodus of entertainment jobs to other states and around the globe.

The Republican governor, a former film star, "talks, he's a showman," Angelides said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"This is an area where you would think that this governor, in his two and a half years, would have sat down with leaders of the industry, with legislative leaders ... to find a way to continue to make us competitive in the global economy with respect to entertainment," Angelides said.

If elected, Angelides said he would be "very open to working with the industry on tax incentives, regulatory incentives." Any entertainment industry tax cuts would be offset by "revenue-raising measures" elsewhere in the budget, or closing corporate tax giveaways, he said.

Cities from Toronto to New Orleans have been cherry-picking Hollywood jobs for years, luring productions away with cheaper production costs and tax breaks. The loss of jobs has had a significant impact, particularly in southern California, where the film industry is a $30 billion business.

In a statement, Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman Matt David said the governor "has a long record of working to keep film, television and advertising production in California, including legislation he is working on with Speaker (Fabian) Nunez. ... Clearly Phil Angelides will say anything to get elected."

Angelides' willingness to consider Hollywood tax breaks comes at a time when he has been pushing a plan to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy Californians to boost funding for education and other programs. He said he would soon release a plan that would detail those proposals, as well as other spending priorities for the state.

He said he would "absolutely" not raise taxes on the middle class if elected.

[calcowgirl]

Liberals trying to out-pander each other. It's going to be a long 4 months!

[A CA Guy]

Pandering to liberal businesses especially so, just as they use the treasury to by union/government employee votes.

[SierraWasp]

Both these clowns have verbal diahreah!!! (well, how do ya spell it?)

[Nachum]

Liar. What a pile of crap. Angelides never saw a tax he didn't like.

[SierraWasp]

I don't talk about it often enough to remember how to spell it!

[DB]

Hey moron, it isn't just film industry jobs leaving California. From ridiculous workmen's comp costs to heavy taxes and regulation in general, business is leaving the state.

[SierraWasp]

Plus, I been studian for a test all day and I'm temporarily brane dead!!!

[calcowgirl]

Runaway Film Bill Hits Snag - State lawmakers balk ...
Los Angeles Times ^ | September 8, 2005 | Marc Lifsher
Posted on 09/08/2005 9:54:16 PM PDT by calcowgirl

Runaway Film Bill Hits Snag - State lawmakers balk at the cost of proposal to keep production from fleeing California by giving financial incentives to Hollywood.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's script to stem runaway film production in California with as much as $100 million in annual tax breaks is getting panned at the Capitol.

The bill by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles), which the governor made a top priority, was on the legislative fast track until Schwarzenegger's fellow Republicans balked, arguing that it amounted to a giveaway for Hollywood. Now, the bill can't even get a hearing.

With the scheduled legislative recess looming late today, Schwarzenegger and Nuñez are considering a switch in tactics. Nuñez said he hoped to line up verbal commitments from legislative leaders to put the proposed movie tax credits into the state budget for the spending year that begins in July.

(snip)

[newzjunkey]

It isn't competitive here in CA because of the unions. Having gone to various locations to do filming, Arnold knows firsthand. Angelides is just begging for Hollweird and union campaign contributions.

[Sofa King]

"The Republican governor, a former film star, "talks, he's a showman," Angelides said in an interview with The Associated Press."

That was a completely uncalled for attack on the English language.

[Sofa King]

FR has a spell-check built in to the posting screen. It's directly to the left of the "post" button.

[calcowgirl]

Study: California loses millions on out-of-state films
	Posted by Hadean On News/Activism 08/22/2005 5:38:11 AM PDT · 29 replies · 628+ views AP ^ | 8-22-05 LOS ANGELES - California receives millions of dollars in tax revenue when movies are filmed in the state, but about 60 percent of all productions last year were shot elsewhere, according to a study to be released Monday. The state, for example, loses more than $10 million when a $70 million movie is made outside the state, and $3 million for a 12-episode drama, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. said. Sponsored by labor and industry groups, the 20-page showed that 236 features, or about 40 percent of all productions, were shot partially or exclusively in the state last...
CA: Schwarzenegger, Núñez join to give movie industry a handout (Taking care of business?)
	Posted by NormsRevenge On News/Activism 08/19/2005 9:26:50 AM PDT · 11 replies · 172+ views Sac Bee ^ | 8/19/05 | Dan Walters California's Democratic politicians often decry special tax loopholes and other corporate subsidies, but when it comes to one business sector - the movie industry - they make a huge exception. Not only is the Southern California-based movie industry heavily unionized, but its executives are almost all political liberals who donate lavishly to Democratic campaigns. That, in a nutshell, explains why the Democratic speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Núñez, quietly amended a bill this week to grant movie producers tens of millions of dollars in subsidies from a state treasury that already is drowning in red ink, with multibillion-dollar annual deficits....

[calcowgirl]

That was a completely uncalled for attack on the English language.

ROFL! Do we have the grammar and spelling police here tonight?
How are you at border enforcement? You're elected!

[EagleUSA]

Angelides never saw a tax he didn't like.
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This guy has Marxist written all over him -- he is QUEER FOR TAXATION and will turn California's economy into one that looks like Oregon. Another Gray Davis, with a happy face on him.

[claudiustg]

Have I mentioned how glad I am to no longer reside in California?

[calcowgirl]

Have I mentioned how glad I am to no longer reside in California?

I think maybe you have, once or twice, lol. ;-)
I'm not quite ready to flee or raise my white flag.
There are a bunch of us still here fighting!

[SierraWasp]

Thanks

[calcowgirl]

In the unlikely event he get's elected, he needs to be held to this:

He said he would "absolutely" not raise taxes on the middle class if elected.

[george76]

[claudiustg]

Life is too short to spend it in Massachusetts or California.