Georgia lawmakers consider changes to state’s film tax credit

ATLANTA, Ga. – Georgia’s profitable movie tax credit – a number of the most beneficiant within the nation – have been underneath the microscope of state lawmakers at a listening to in Athens on Wednesday.

In a packed room at Athens Technical Faculty, the Joint Tax Evaluate Committee, made up of a handful of lawmakers, heard testimony from tax professionals, the state’s Division of Income, and members of the movie and manufacturing trade.

The credit score permits manufacturing firms who conform to shoot content material within the Peach State can reap a 30% tax break on their backside line.

By the numbers, the tax credit score has created a booming movie and manufacturing sector that’s led to Georgia’s crowning of the Hollywood of the South. Subsequent 12 months, over 300 productions are slated to movie in Georgia, across the identical as this 12 months. With them, the trade created a further 59,000 jobs based on some evaluation.

“It’s allowed folks to remain right here in Georgia,” says Randy Davidson, CEO of Georgia Leisure Information. “It’s the roles that Georgians need, it’s the roles that we are able to have right here the place they will keep right here, increase households right here and thrive in Georgia.”

The tax credit started at 10% in 2005 and have been expanded in 2008 to permit manufacturing firms to jot down off as a lot as 30%. It’s not a straightforward course of, tax professionals mentioned on the listening to Wednesday. One CPA who conducts tax audits on behalf of the state known as Georgia’s course of essentially the most stringent of all of the states that provide competing applications.

However lawmakers are skeptical of the true influence of the motivation and argue that whereas the movie trade is amassing profitable incentives, different companies are disregarded of the identical therapy.

“Any enterprise in Georgia that you simply pay 30% of their prices, they’re in all probability going to do nicely,” mentioned state Senator Chuck Hufstetler, (R) Rome. “[The industry] is vibrant, it’s grown in Georgia, however we now have to say, what’s truthful to all people? There are different companies they will develop too.”

The joint tax committee’s hearings are a precursor to a probable showdown this winter when lawmakers have vowed to revisit the state’s movie tax credit score when the legislative session commences in January.

📽️ Do you know these motion pictures have been filmed in Georgia?

There’s little doubt that movie and TV have taken a liking to Georgia due to the motivation. A survey of manufacturing firms who’ve filmed within the state carried out by UK-based agency Olsberg SPI confirmed that 90% of these firm’s expenditures in Georgia wouldn’t have occurred with out the credit.

Business leaders say now isn’t the time to rethink the construction of the motivation. It’s rising like a weed – Athena Studios in Athens opened earlier this 12 months and later in October, Meeting Studios, owned by Atlanta Information First mum or dad firm Grey Tv, will swing open their doorways.

They warned lawmakers at Wednesday’s listening to to be cautious of pulling the rug out from beneath budding developments in movie and TV.

“I encourage you to reward success,” mentioned Hilton Howell, CEO of Grey Tv and Meeting Studios. “Don’t lose what you’ve acquired, don’t lose what you’ve acquired. You’re profitable.”

“We invested in it years in the past and now we’re one thing the place we’re the lead in, we now have a well-threaded financial system as a result of we now have a inventive financial system which different states try to get,” added Davidson. “I’d say, let’s proceed to develop this responsibly within the state of Georgia.”

Davidson pointed to different states that at one time provided, then did away with the credit like North Carolina or Louisiana. He mentioned productions instantly went elsewhere for the monetary advantages and left small cities that relied on the trade excessive and dry. Flower retailers that offered providers for units, lumber yards that offered lumber and vintage retailers that offered props – have been all decimated.

Lawmakers agree that the trade is getting cash and creating jobs, however can be coming at a value. Even with a acquire of $4 billion in financial exercise, Georgia additionally misplaced out on over a billion {dollars} in tax income.

“Are they creating jobs? Sure. Are they rising enterprise? Completely. However how a lot does it value to do this? That’s what we now have to have a look at,” mentioned Sen. Hufstetler. “How can we construction it that’s truthful to the companies right here, significantly people who have constructed studios in Georgia, that doesn’t chase the enterprise away however will get the perfect bang for our greenbacks in Georgia. And that’s powerful to do, we’re attempting to do this.”