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There’s an effort underway at the state Capitol to kill the so-called Hollywood film tax credit of $50 million.
A spokesperson for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce told the House Tax Policy Committee Wednesday that there’s not enough of a return on the investment and it’s unfair to taxpayers to subsidize out-of-state Hollywood film producers.
The Midland-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy says according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 1,500 film jobs in 2007 and 1,600 this year so it’s not a viable industry outside of these incentives.
However, Teamsters union members complain that if you take away the tax incentive, you will take away their jobs. They contend more jobs will be created in the movie industry if the state helps out.
The committee chair Republican Jeff Farrington, says there are better ways to create jobs and believes he has the votes to move the bill to the House floor, perhaps as early as next week.
