[b]Baton Rouge Film Meetup Meeting in the Advocate[/b]
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/44511072.html

[QUOTE]

BUSINESS
Film group urges keep tax credit, say no to rollbacks-Incentives key to attracting productions By GARY PERILLOUX Advocate business writer
Published: May 7, 2009 - Page: 7A

State tax credits sold by filmmakers to support Louisiana-based productions should be made permanent and shouldn’t be rolled back, members of a film industry group agreed at a late Tuesday meeting.

Yet to be determined is whether the Legislature will agree and whether it will back the 25 percent production tax credit as a permanent incentive or raise the credit to 30 percent, something proposed by state Sen. Robert Adley, D-Benton, in Senate Bill 245. Adley’s district includes areas in the Shreveport region that have benefited from film productions in the state.
The Baton Rouge Film Industry Meetup, along with members from a sister statewide group, heard input from industry professionals based as far away as Shreveport at a Tuesday night meeting at the Echelon Center in Baton Rouge.

“Louisiana has a lot of competition right now, and we’re seeing these other states eat into our competition,” said Amy Mitchell Smith, executive director of the Baton Rouge Film Commission, who said the region has lost multiple films recently to Bulgaria for competitive reasons that include financial considerations.

“We’re hearing great positive things about industry support for Sen. Adley’s bill,” said Chuck Bush, a film, music and video game producer who cautioned that film tax credits would fall to 20 percent next year and 15 percent in 2012 without action.

Chris Stelly, who leads film development for the state’s entertainment office, said his exchange with the Legislature is informational only and he can’t lobby for changes. “I think our leaders recognize the great investments we’ve made already as a state. It’s a pivotal, pivotal session,” he said.

A state-commissioned study by Economics Research Associates earlier this year showed the state’s film industry has a $763 million economic impact. Actual film expenditures in the state in 2007 were $429 million.

“When we grow, they grow,” said Susie Labry, the film meetup leader, talking about the benefit to state government. “When we grow, the sales taxes go up. When we grow, the state’s health-care system grows.”

There is an immediate cost to the state, however. The tax credits, when cashed in by people with Louisiana income tax liability, lower the amount of income tax the state takes in. The argument for film tax credits assumes a greater return from the jobs and economic activity that wouldn’t occur without the incentives.

R.W. Day, who’s developing Red Stick Studios and who has clashed with state officials over the payout of studio tax credits, said he’s also backing a bill by Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, that would require the state to commit 40 percent tax credits to studio projects like his — that applied for the program by Aug. 1, 2007 — provided a qualifying amount of $10 million or 20 percent of the project is spent by a state-imposed deadline.

Greene’s bill would move that deadline back from Jan. 1 to June 30, giving Day and others six more months. Greene’s legislation is among 15 film-related bills before the Legislature this session.

Participants at the Baton Rouge film meeting said they’re organizing a film day rally at the Capitol and will testify when key bills are heard at committees, likely beginning next week.

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Support Increase Louisiana Film Industry Tax Credits

To Louisiana State Legislators and Governor

Increase to 30%+ Production, 10% Louisiana Workers, NO SUNSETS, NO SCALEDOWNS by
supporting and vote FOR

HB862 by Rep. Gallot
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=648491

and

SB245 by Sen. Adley
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=645841

Susie Labry, Actress

Susie Labry Louisiana Sunshine Blog

I am opening blog and naming it Susie Labry Louisiana Sunshine Blog. May 7, 2009