Film Credits
In the last decade, state governments have enacted numerous movie production incentives (MPIs), including tax credits for film production. MPIs are popular with state officials and many of their constituents but often escape routine oversight about benefits, costs and activities. Based on fanciful estimates of economic activity and tax revenue, states invest in movie production projects with small returns and take unnecessary risks with taxpayer dollars.
MPIs fail to live up to their promises to encourage economic growth overall and to raise tax revenue. States claim MPIs create jobs, but the jobs created are mostly temporary positions—often transplanted from other states—with limited options for upward mobility. Furthermore, the competition among states transfers a large portion of potential gains to the movie industry, not to local businesses or state coffers.
Additional questions about film tax credits? Contact us at (202) 464-6200.
Related Blog Entries
- Michigan-Subsidized Film Studio Fails; State Pension Fund Had Guaranteed Loan, by Joseph Henchman, January 27, 2012
- Hawaii State of the State Address Seeks Wasteful Credits and Soda Tax, by Scott Drenkard, January 24, 2012
- Michigan Scales Back Its Movie Production Incentives Program, by I. Harry David, January 4, 2012
- New Massachusetts Report Finds Film Tax Incentives Not Worth It, by Scott Drenkard, November 22, 2011
- California Extends Film Tax Credit Program by One Year, by Scott Drenkard, October 12, 2011
- New Jersey Governor Vetoes Film Tax Credit Award to "Jersey Shore", by Joseph Henchman, September 29, 2011
- Motion Picture Association Attacks Tax Foundation Critique of Film Tax Subsidies, by Joseph Henchman, July 1, 2011
- Nevada Film Tax Credit Proposal Dead, by Toban Wiebe, June 17, 2011
- Quick Tax Quiz: Film Tax Credits, by Alicia Hansen, June 10, 2011
- New Report: More States Abandoning Film Tax Incentives, by TF Staff, June 3, 2011
- Michigan Governor Proposes Cap on Film Tax Credit, by Mark Robyn, May 18, 2011
- Film Tax Credits Getting Attention in Some States, by Mark Robyn, April 15, 2011
- Palin Responds to Film Tax Credit News, by Joseph Henchman, March 30, 2011
- Sarah Palin’s Alaska Film Tax Credit Funds “Sarah Palin’s Alaska”, by Mark Robyn, March 29, 2011
- Tax Foundation Scholar Testifies on California Film Tax Credits, by TF Staff, March 21, 2011
- Arizona and Idaho Look Again to Film Tax Credits, by Kailee Tkacz, March 10, 2011
- Bill Clinton Promotes Tax Breaks for the Film Industry, by Mark Robyn, February 17, 2011
- New Mexico and Other States Reconsidering Expensive Film Tax Subsidy Programs, by Kailee Tkacz, February 16, 2011
- Movie Ticket Tax Proposed in Colorado, by Mark Robyn, February 11, 2011
- Film Tax Credits Are a Bad Deal: Massachusetts Edition, by Mark Robyn, January 13, 2011
- A Unique Sales Tax Holiday Proposal in Florida; and Arizona May End Film Subsidies, by Mark Robyn, December 16, 2010
- New Michigan Governor Sending Mixed Signals on Film Tax Credit Program, by Joseph Henchman, December 10, 2010
- Incoming Iowa Governor Wants to Permanently End Film Tax Credits, by Mark Robyn, December 6, 2010
- States Slashing Film Tax Subsidies, by Joseph Henchman, November 24, 2010
- Iowa Auditor Issues Report on Film Tax Credit Scandal, New Zealand Shells Out for The Hobbit, by Mark Robyn, October 27, 2010
- Note to Utah: Hollywood Didn't Save California, and it Won't Save You, by Mark Robyn, October 20, 2010
- Iowa Governor Calls for End to Film Tax Credit Program as Separate Trials Ordered, by Joseph Henchman, September 9, 2010
- Corporate Welfare for Movie Producers Returns to Iowa, by Mark Robyn, August 31, 2010
- Keystone State Can't Afford Film Tax Credits, by Natasha Altamirano, August 13, 2010
- Sudden Retirement of Michigan Film Office Director May Be Linked to Tax Credit Boondoggle, by William Ahern, June 18, 2010
- John Stossel Cites Tax Foundation Study of Film Tax Credits, by TF Staff, June 18, 2010
- Michigan Attaching Content Strings to Film Tax Credit, by Joseph Henchman, June 15, 2010
- Film Tax Credits Losing Their Appeal, by William Ahern, June 11, 2010
- Oklahoma Cuts Tax Expenditures, by Justin Higginbottom, June 10, 2010
- Pork Barrel Tax Provisions in the Extenders Bill, by Scott A. Hodge, May 27, 2010
- "MacGruber" Made with Tax Credit, But Creates No Hair Stylist Job, by Joseph Henchman, May 24, 2010
- Virginia to Offer Tax Credits for Movie Production, by Justin Higginbottom, May 4, 2010
- Map: Film Tax Credits by State, 1992-Present, by Nick Zaiac, April 20, 2010
- Video: Film Tax Credits Are Bad Tax Policy, by Natasha Altamirano, March 15, 2010
- CNN Swallows Whole the Hollywood Tax Credit Line, by William Ahern, March 13, 2010
- Florida Censors Try to Hijack Film Credit; Repeal Would Be the Best Solution, by William Ahern, March 8, 2010
- Florida Considers Using Film Tax Credits as Censorship Tool, by Joseph Henchman, March 8, 2010
- Virginia Lawmakers Debate Film Credits vs. Film Grants, and Entirely Miss the Point, by Mark Robyn, March 5, 2010
- Oklahoma Officials Evaluate Film Tax Credit Programs, by Joseph Henchman, March 3, 2010
- Virginia Gov. McDonnell Drops Income Tax Increase; Seeks Increase for Film Promotion and Business Subsidies, by Joseph Henchman, February 19, 2010
- Proposals for a Sales Tax Holiday and Film Credits in Florida are More Hype Than Helpful, by Mark Robyn, February 17, 2010
- Virginia Missed the Starting Gun, but Joins the Race to the Bottom Nonetheless, by Mark Robyn, February 11, 2010
- Criminal Charges Filed Against Ex-Head of Iowa Film Office, Filmmakers, by Joseph Henchman, February 9, 2010
- Michigan Senate Finance Chairwoman cites Tax Foundation Report on Damaging Effects of Film Tax Credit, by Rob Shrum, February 4, 2010
- More on Iowa Film Credits and Why Tax Reform is So Difficult, by Mark Robyn, February 4, 2010
- Film Industry to Iowa: Make Our Corrupt Tax Credit Bigger, by William Ahern, February 4, 2010
- Rhode Island Gov. Carcieri Wisely Proposes to Eliminate Film Credits; Massachusetts Gov. Patrick Only Gets Half Way There, by Mark Robyn, February 3, 2010
- Filmmaker Michael Moore Takes Michigan Film Tax Credits After Criticizing Program, by Joseph Henchman, January 29, 2010
- Avatar Receives $44.7 Million from New Zealand, by Mark Robyn, January 27, 2010
- Tax Foundation Staff Economist Mark Robyn on Film Tax Credits, by Natasha Altamirano, January 22, 2010
- Nevada Does Just Fine Without Film Tax Credits, by Joseph Henchman, January 21, 2010
- New Podcast: Joe Kristan on Film Tax Credits in Iowa, by Natasha Altamirano, January 20, 2010
- Michigan Debates Expensive Film Tax Credit Program, by Joseph Henchman, January 18, 2010
- Tax Foundation Study: Film Tax Credits, Production Incentives Fail to Spur Economic Growth, by TF Staff, January 14, 2010
- Pittsburgh Poised to Impose Tax on Students, by Joseph Henchman, December 18, 2009
- Connecting the Dots in Iowa, by Mark Robyn, October 20, 2009
- Governor Granholm's Energetic but Futile Effort to Buy Jobs , by William Ahern, October 6, 2009
- Iowa Film Credit Report Reveals More Problems; Criminal Investigation Forthcoming, by Mark Robyn, October 5, 2009
- Iowa Governor Wants a Review of All Tax Credits, by Mark Robyn, September 28, 2009
- Film Tax Credits Keep Pittsburgh "Crazy Busy", by Justin Higginbottom, September 24, 2009
- Switzerland Attracting European Offices of U.S. Companies, by Joseph Henchman, September 23, 2009
- Corruption and Abuse in Iowa's Film Tax Credit Program, by Mark Robyn, September 22, 2009
- Film Tax Credits: The Road to Nowhere, by Mark Robyn, August 26, 2009
- Film Tax Credits Announced in Ohio, by Justin Higginbottom, August 20, 2009
- Louisiana Tax Credits: Politicians Picking Winners and Losers, by Joseph Henchman, July 11, 2009
- Some States Approve Last Minute Budgets, by Joseph Henchman, July 1, 2009
- More on Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit , by Joseph Henchman, June 5, 2009
- New Pennsylvania Study: Film Tax Credit Pays for Itself Only Under Bizarre Assumptions, by Joseph Henchman, June 4, 2009
- Film Producer Convicted of Bribing Government Official for More Film Tax Credits, by Joseph Henchman, April 29, 2009
- Debate on Film Tax Credits in Pittsburgh, by Joseph Henchman, April 13, 2009
- Pennsylvania Considers Dropping Film Tax Credit; Nebraska Considers Adopting One, by Joseph Henchman, February 27, 2009
- Wisconsin Governor Proposes Eliminating Film Tax Credit, by Joseph Henchman, February 23, 2009
- State Budgets: Wisconsin Governor Boosts Spending, Hopes for Federal Bailout, by Joseph Henchman, December 26, 2008
- Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Offers More Bad Tax Policy, by Joseph Henchman, December 15, 2008
- Thursday Video: Bad State Tax Ideas, by Joseph Henchman, August 21, 2008
- Michigan Hopes Tax Credits Will Move Hollywood to Detroit, by Sarah Larson, June 16, 2008
- Canada Proposes Expanding Censorship for Film Tax Credit Recipients, by Joseph Henchman, June 6, 2008
- Film Tax Credits: Lower Taxes for Celebrities, Higher Taxes for You, by Joseph Henchman, May 30, 2008
- Canadian Film Tax Credits Lead to Censorship, by Gerald Prante, May 3, 2008
- Film Tax Credits = Corporate Welfare, by Gerald Prante, March 29, 2008
- State Lawmakers Should Leave Hollywood in California, by Alicia Hansen, February 26, 2008
- Indiana Legislature Overrides Veto of Film Tax Credit, by Joseph Henchman, February 19, 2008
- Indiana Tax Developments, by Curtis S. Dubay, May 1, 2007
- Minneapolis Fed on Tax Incentives for Film Companies, by Andrew Chamberlain, September 11, 2006
- The Case Against Tax Incentives, by Andrew Chamberlain, August 30, 2005
