Tax me if you can

The Wall Street Journal ^ | March 14, 2009 | Editorial

[St. Louis Conservative]

We're constantly told that taxes don't matter to business and investors, but listen to that noted supply-side economist, Alec Baldwin. The actor recently rebuked New York Governor David Paterson for threatening to try to help close the state's $7 billion budget deficit by canceling a 35% tax credit for films shot in the Big Apple.

"I'm telling you right now," Mr. Baldwin declared, "if these tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film production in this town is going to collapse, and television is going to collapse and it's all going to go to California." Well, well. Apparently taxes do matter, at least when it comes to filming "30 Rock" in Manhattan.

Believe it or not, Mr. Baldwin's views are shared across the movie industry, which is pleading in state capitals across the country for most-favored-tax status. Hollywood productions are highly mobile and can film just about anywhere. So they have taken to shopping around the country -- and the world -- for the most lucrative tax avoidance deal.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, nearly 40 states have corporate tax carve outs or generous cash rebates to lure movie studios to their states. In Michigan, producers negotiated a 40% tax credit on their production costs. A bipartisan bill introduced in the Texas legislature last week and supported by Governor Rick Perry would allocate $60 million into the Texas Film Incentive Program. Members of the Screen Actors Guild held a rally last week in front of the state capitol urging the tax breaks.

In some cases these state tax credits exceed a company's tax liabilities, which means that Disney, Dreamworks and others can get a net cash subsidy from state taxpayers.

[Texas Eagle]

LOL. My, oh my. I guess it's true when they say it depends on whose ox is being gored.

Here's what Dame Alec had to say in March 17, 2006 (almost 3 years to the day!) after a visit to D.C......

I asked a veteran Democratic member of Congress what they thought we were facing in terms of the fate of all social programming, not just the arts, in the coming budget. That member told me that three things hang over the Congressional budget process right now, but only one is a real problem. "The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan we can handle, budget-wise. The rebuilding of the Gulf region after Katrina can be done. But it's the tax cuts that will kill us," she told me. "These people want to make these cuts permanent. And that will mean the death of all entitlements in the budget. That will mean the death of a great deal of our social programming."

Tax Cuts and The Republican Legacy by Alec Baldwin

[Vaquero]

AAAAHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHaha.

I love it when the left eats its own.

[TPOOH]

"I'm telling you right now," Mr. Baldwin declared, "if these tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film production in this town is going to collapse, and television is going to collapse and it's all going to go to California." Well, well. Apparently taxes do matter, at least when it comes to filming "30 Rock" in Manhattan."

LMAO - C'mon Alec you love taxing the rich till they bleed. Typical socialist - the pain is just for others - not me!

HAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAA

[Kent C]

"I'm telling you right now," Mr. Baldwin declared, "if these tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film production in this town is going to collapse, and television is going to collapse and it's all going to go to California." <{P>

Good! They'll all be in one location. "Pick the target, isolate it (in Caleefornia), freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

[Two Kids' Dad]

And a large number of movie productions are moving across our northern border. Canada wants the Hollywood money to pour into their cities. Plus, they require a certain number of local Canadians to be hired on and that further helps their economy. So they provide incentives and both sides win.

[3niner]

This is why we need a national PYMWYMI (Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is) Tax, applied to people who make statements supporting higher taxes for others.

This would separate people who really believe in higher taxes from those who simply want to steal from someone else.

Interestingly, these a$$h*les never seem to take advantage of the fact that they can send more money to the IRS anytime they want. I remember when Elvis did this in the '60s. There were a few years when he was the highest individual tax payer in America, he never had the highest income.

[sionnsar]

Baldwin? Is he still in the country?

Oh well. Honesty from a leftie... might as well enact that tax 'cuz he's lying.

[verity]

Dear IRS;

I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15th, but all is not lost.
I have paid the following taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, Medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, gasoline tax ,state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle license registration tax, capitol gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, out of state sales tax, and many more that I cant recall.
When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated Congressmen Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, Senator Chris Dodd and ex-Senator Tom Daschle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest.

P.S. I will try to make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.