Hicks Vs. Us: Whither Philly’s Tax Cuts For Hollywood?
On this matter, there is no debate: The Greater Philadelphia Film Office, led by the mesmerizing pile of hair on top of Sharon Pinkenson‘s head (pictured), has brought more major motion picture-making to this fair city than ever thought possible. At the heart of this achievement in the last year, of course, are the prodigious tax breaks GPFO has lined up for producers: A 25 percent tax credit to films that spend at least 60 percent of their budget in the state. But state Rep. Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin) wants the cuts repealed immediately. Cue cornpone GOP-is-just-like-y’all soundbite:
“Film tax credits are bad tax policy, especially in a tight budget year, and an irresponsible priority for the sake of a photo-op of a political leader and a Hollywood star or starlet,” Marsico said last week.
Jesus Christ, can we fucking secede this hick state already? We can’t help but wonder if he’d be singing the same tune if, say, Apocalypto or The Passion Of The Christ were made here. No matter: GPFO is already firing back, basically saying the Marsico fundamentally doesn’t understand the policy to begin with, and how it brings more business into Philadelphia overall. And as the cash crunch rages on, we see only one solution to all the squirrels out there that will be trying to get GPFO’s nut: Hide all pertinent documentation in Pinkenson’s hair. But please, just remember where you left it. There is no sense in anyone dying over this.
PBJ: Finders Keepers
December 9th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
And would Philebrity be *for* tax cuts to attract, say, megachurches, defense contractors and *ahem* casinos?
December 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
In a word, no.
December 9th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Can’t really see how a megachurch would need a tax cut, since churches don’t pay any tax (even though they act more like political organizations these days)
December 9th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
You know what you make a great movie? How about the story of a hairdresser who manages to parlay a dream and an ummm “relationship” with a mayor into a multimillion dollar industry for her City. That would be excellent.