Published on MLive.com : Friday, October 08, 2010, 2:11 PM
by: Jackie Headapohl
Today is the two-and-a-half year anniversary of the Michigan film incentives and to mark the occasion, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholmattended the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council (MFOAC) meeting today to discuss the economic impact the film incentives have had on the state.
“We are watching an entire new industry emerge in Michigan,” Granholm said. “The number of productions being filmed in Michigan is increasing, we are creating jobs and attracting production facilities, and we are keeping our young people here in Michigan. The incentives have provided important economic benefits for the state, while also helping to diversify our economy.”
“We are watching an entire new industry emerge in Michigan,” Granholm said. “The number of productions being filmed in Michigan is increasing, we are creating jobs and attracting production facilities, and we are keeping our young people here in Michigan. The incentives have provided important economic benefits for the state, while also helping to diversify our economy.”
The film incentives have come under fire as a recent Senate Fiscal Agency report said the incentives costs the state more money than it takes in from tax revenue generated by the film industry.
After the council meeting, the Free Press reports that Granholm said the film incentives weren't intended to create revenue for the state.
John James from Livonia, Michigan, a Teamster driver and transportation captain, also spoke to the council. He lost his job in March 2008 and was on the verge of losing his home before finding work as a driver on nine films. Without the work in the film industry, John says he would have been forced to leave the state to look for work.
“These incentives are more than numbers on a page; they are helping real people find jobs, keep their business running and stay in Michigan,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office.
After the council meeting, the Free Press reports that Granholm said the film incentives weren't intended to create revenue for the state.
Several people spoke at the council meeting about their experiences in the film industry including, Kurt Peters of Chow Catering in Clarkston, Michigan, which found its niche catering to the industry. The company is expecting it will put $400,000 back into the economy by the end of this year, purchasing propane, supplies and groceries from local businesses and has hired up to 25 workers during busy periods.“The point of this was to add a whole new sector to our economy and create jobs,” Granholm said, after her farewell address to the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council at Michigan State University. “The point of it wasn’t to make revenue for the state. That’s the question – do people want to see new sectors in Michigan that will keep young people here, because truly, that is priceless."
John James from Livonia, Michigan, a Teamster driver and transportation captain, also spoke to the council. He lost his job in March 2008 and was on the verge of losing his home before finding work as a driver on nine films. Without the work in the film industry, John says he would have been forced to leave the state to look for work.
“These incentives are more than numbers on a page; they are helping real people find jobs, keep their business running and stay in Michigan,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office.
Source- MLive.com
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