Film credits are under fire by lawmakers who want to change the system, which now give production companies a 25 percent credit up to $20 million on qualifying expenses.
A Senate proposal would award grants totaling $20 million, a third of the total of $61 million that the incentive program paid out last year. The House budget contains a similar provision but leaves final amounts to be negotiated with the Senate.
McCrory wants a system of tax breaks more closely tied to film-related jobs
and specific expenses. On Monday he said the Daily Show had received $400,000 in credits when it filmed in Charlotte during the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
But the state Film Office lists a different amount. Citing a report from the Department of Revenue, it shows that the Daily Show got a credit of $273,346.
The governor's office could not be reached.
Supporters say the industry provides 4,200 full-time and over 15,000 part-time jobs, with economic benefits in the millions.
3 comments:
$273K vs $400K? As the saying goes, it was "directionally correct and roughly right." And only exaggerated by 50%. Not bad for a politician.
Jon Stewart is the highest-paid host on television at $25 million a year. Why in the world does he need to milk NC taxpayers for another quarter-million dollars instead of paying his production people out of his own very fat wallet?
It's a business, like any other. NC decides how much to hand out, not the tv/ movie crews.
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