Film incentives? No, thank you.

Film incentives are a bad deal for North Carolina taxpayers. It’s bad public policy.  Job creation is questionable and reports are misleading. It is inconsistent with positive tax reforms. Over the last three years, the film industry has gotten over $170M courtesy of NC taxpayers so it comes as no surprise that they are pulling out all the stops to hang on to their sweetheart deal.  We need heroes to fight back, to put NC taxpayers first.

In the House Finance Committee this morning, Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover) proposed an amendment to the House budget to change NC’s film incentive that is set to sunset on Jan. 1, 2015. His amendment would do four things: 1. Extends the credit for 2 years to Jan 2017; 2.drops the maximum credit from $20M to $15M; 3. Lowers percentage of taxes from 25% to 22.5% and 4. Requires an independent study by the Program Evaluation Division. The amendment failed 20-16.

Those voting no: Reps. Julia Howard (R-Davie), William Brawley (R-Mecklenburg), David Lewis (R-Harnett), Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba), Justin Burr (R-Stanley), Jeff Collins (R-Nash), Nelson Dollar (R-Wake), Paul Stam (R-Wake), Edgar Starnes (R-Caldwell), John Blust (R-Guilford), Mike Hager (R-Rutherford), Jon Hardister (R-Guilford), Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe), Tim Moffitt (R-Buncombe), Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), Ruth Samuelson (R-Mecklenburg), Jacqueline Schaffer (R-Mecklenburg), Mike Stone(R-Lee), Harry Warren (R-Rowan) Andy Wells (R-Catawba).

Those voting yes: Reps. Linda Johnson (Cabarrus), Paul Luebke (D-Durham), Kelly Alexander (D-Mecklenburg), Robert Brawley (R-Iredell), Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg), Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg), Ted Davis (R-New Hanover), Larry Hall (D-Durham), Susi Hamilton (D-New Hanover), Ed Hanes (D-Forsyth), Yvonne Holley(D-Wake), Grier Martin (D-Wake), Graig Meyer (D-Durham), Rodney Moore (D-Mecklenburg), Paul Tine (D-Dare), Ken Waddell (D-Bladen).

Kudos to those who voted no on this amendment, who are standing behind tax reform, are turning back special interests and looking out for ALL North Carolina taxpayers. Stay strong.