Serving the Film and Television Industry in New England
Rhode Island tax changes
I've been reading a lot about what is going on in Rhode Island and changing of tax incentives.
I am a citizen of Massachsetts.
Last year I worked as an extra on the tv show Body of Proof, filmed in Providence.
I did my taxes last night, and ended up paying income tax to the state of Rhode Island- which I was happy to do because their incentives got me the job in the first place.
To anyone who thinks tax credits for the film industry do not benefit the economy, I can say personally that I have paid taxes in RI and MA for film/ TV work I did. Had those projects been filmed elsewhere, I would not have been paid money, which I used to buy gas for my car, cigarettes, etc and thus went back into the local economy. And I would not have paid taxes.
I worked on Slip N Fall a few years ago. I had to pay parking, gas, food, etc. I saw some tourists pass by, see the cameras and crew, and go into a camera store and exit with thousands of dollars in cameras, recorders, etc.
I was on a failed ABC pilot, House Rules, and there was a huge crane to move the camer for establishing shots of the state capitol building. A friend on the crew told me they cost something like $5,000.00 a day to rent- from local businesses.
Films are good for the economy. They bring money into the state, way more than the tax incentives cost, and they bring jobs. Even if you have no interest in film you are benefitting from it in MA and RI in terms of the economy.
Tax incentives bring money into the economy and into the tax system. They provide jobs, which also benefits the entire economy.
Tags: MA, RI, Tamarin, activist, economy, financial, incentive, lobbbying, tax
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skyjam videos - David Smith on -
I agree with you David
It has become so convoluted and confusing. I have read article after article on this and research and accounting papers and graphs and the list goes on and on
The common thread that you here among opponents is "The local jobs are temporary and much of the crew comes from outside of the state where the production is being shot"
My problem with their argument is the lack of detailed involvement in "trickle down economics". It's rarely documented, rarely talked about in any of the research. I don't find that the studies reach far enough into the basement.
On the flip side, so many states have been trying to get their hands on this - I believe it's 43, but we are seeing a trend where states are dropping the film tax credit
It's so frustrating and I go back to what I have stated before. We really need to produce from within this region, on our own, and not rely on a studio production to show up at our doorstep.
I am happy that studio productions do come here, it's great, and I'm hoping to see more but it doesn't look good in terms of the overall numbers and the future
We have the talent here. We don't have the Quantity if you stack it up against LA or NY, but we have the quality - it's just smaller in numbers
What confuses me are the studies by the Department of Revenue and the approach. I just don't think they take into account all the numbers, all the way down the line, from top to bottom. It's like that show "Undercover Boss". The people at the top really don't know what's happening at the bottom and I am referring to "trickle down economics"
Here's how Orgeon stacks it up as they may be dropping their FILM tax credit also
"the incentives are also under attack as wasteful and a poor way to allocate state money. Critics also say they unfairly benefit the rich and are an unproven way to spur economic development. "As far as subsidies go, it's one of the most ridiculous ones any state would have," said Jody Wiser, founder of the activist group Tax Fairness Oregon. Documents from the Oregon Governor's Office of Film & Television show that wealthy Oregonians have reaped thousands of dollars in guaranteed returns -- returns paid for by taxpayers -- through the state's tax credit program.
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Permalink Reply by David L Tamarin on -
excellent points
On May 2 there is going to be some type of event, I got this message from Chuck Slavin's facebook group:
Mass Film Tax Credit Briefing Save the Date: May 2nd
Please save the date. The Tourism Committee will be having a
committee briefing on Film Tax Credits on Monday, May 2, at the Dedham Community Theater, 580 High St, Dedham, MA at 10A.M.
I have also set up an event page for our members. Please invite any friends you know you may be interested. More details to come.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200904916607285
I hope to see you at this positive meeting.
Chuck Slavin "DotCom"I'm an attorney and writer and plan to write some editorials for local papers and hope to speak the next time the legislature hears the issue. But they just do what the voters want, so they have to be convinced first, and I think a few editorials would be a start in the right direction.I'm going to check out that link and do a little more research into the subject.'the jobs are fleeting'- tell that to someone in L.A. or New Yorkwe give subsidies to sports teams because it makes Boston a 'first class city' and attracts tourists, same should apply to film'only rich benefit'- does this person know how much a non SAG actor gets for being an extra? $100.00 for 14 hours= obviously we aren't rich if we'll work for that amount of money.'only rich benefit' there are many local small businesses that make money renting film equipment and providing various other services such as editing, location scouting, catering. There are all the casting agencies, photographers who take headshots, film class instructors, local editing and production studios, etc.'a lot of people from outside MA get the jobs" _ I worked on Grown Ups and they used a local catering firms. The chefs did not look like the 'ultra-wealthy'.Anyone at Boston casting can tell you that the majority of people on the set of most films are extras and the studios always use locals as extras.I worked in Lowell, someone I worked for was offered $10,000.00 to change the signs on his building to give it a 1970s look. He was just a small business owner.'jobs are fleeting' - better than no jobs at all.I am no Reagan spporter but I have seen first hand that the so called Trickle Down Theory, at least in this instance, works.I've paid income taxes, and spent money on the local economy for such things as gasoline, clothing, props, food, parking, etc.
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