The governor is defending plans to end a tax credit program for movie makers who plan to film in Wisconsin.
In his proposed state budget, Governor Jim Doyle calls for an end to an incentive program designed to attract major film productions to the state. Doyle says the credits cost too much, as shows by a recent analysis of the impact made by the filming of the Johnny Depp movie “Public Enemies” in Wisconsin last year. The study found the state barely broke even on tax benefits after tax credits were given to the production.
Governor Doyle says there's no way to justify the state giving $4 million in breaks to a movie production, which don't usually create long term jobs for the state.
Doyle's budget would replace the credit with a smaller incentive program that's focused on creating permanent jobs. It would provide $500,000 for the Department of Commerce to use as incentives for permanent jobs created by a movie being shot in Wisconsin.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:00)
