Save the Pennsylvania Tax Incentive for Filmmakers
Over the past few years, Philadelphia has become one of most sought out locations for films. We’ve seen flicks like Transformers, The Happening, and most recently, Limitless shooting in our fine city. So what brings directors like Michael Bay into our backyard? Well, the Pennsylvania Tax Incentive for filmmakers, that’s what.
Ed Rendell encouraged this tax incentive around 2007, and this provided a massive growth in the film industry in Pennsylvania. Since 2009, however, it has been receiving heavy snips here and there. Now that Tom Corbett has taken office in Harrisburg, the tax incentive might be stricken from the budget all together.
So what does this mean? Well, first off—Pennsylvania might lose four big budget productions! Paramount recently pulled out of producing in Philadelphia and laid people off, because applications for the production haven’t been signed yet. The tax incentive debacle is halting the entire process. And what, pray tell, was the movie? Oh, just World War Z.
What are some other films being yanked away from our backyard? How about, Fox’s pilot Locke & Key and The Dark Knight Rises!
I know what you’re thinking, how can I help? Well here’s how! E-mail Mr. Corbett and tell him to keep the tax incentive for filmmakers in the 2011-12 budget! Send the link to everyone. Help filmmakers keep making wonderful cinema in the state of Pennsylvania.
Yeah…The Happening is not a good argument for keeping the tax incentive. Neither is Michael Bay.
It’s so weird, because the film industry is one of the few places where tax incentives like this really *do* work well; since every film has to build its own infrastructure every time, it’s almost always worthwhile to shoot somewhere where the taxes are low (thus contributing to the local hires and, consequently, the local tax base).