Saturday, May 17, 2008

Could film incentives be Michigan's Ishtar?


Could film incentives be Michigan's Ishtar?:
"The script reads something like this: Hollywood producers get a big tax break from Michigan, and the next thing you know they're blocking scenes in places like downtown Grand Rapids.....
But true to Hollywood form, this story takes a sudden and unexpected twist.
Turns out the program, which allows producers to get back up to 42 percent of their production costs, was so popular the cost overruns have state leaders playing the part of angry studio execs.
'It's probably costing more than we thought,' said State Treasurer Robert Klein.
Try millions more.

State budget officials discussed the problem, and other budget issues during Friday's revenue estimating conference. That's where lawmakers got a better look at the overall budget picture.
The bad news is the current budget is short by just under $44 million for the spending year ending in October. Projections for next year's budget put the shortfall at between $170 and $350 million."

Wow, and wait until Jenny and the Dems start REALLY "investing" our road-fix-up money in her eco-business contributors!

No comments: