Governor Granholm praises film tax break in radio address

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI –

Governor Granholm uses her weekly radio address to praise Michigan's generous incentives to attract filmmakers. As Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reports, next week marks the second anniversary of the state offering film tax credits.

AUDIO:
The governor says filmmakers have spent $348 million in Michigan over the past two years, and employed 6,700 people. She says 89 movies or TV shows have used Michigan as a backdrop.

But film and video production jobs remain a small fraction of Michigan's economy. The governor says she expects the sector will grow in future years, and that will help keep and attract young people who want to work in digital media.

"Movies, TV shows, video games - they're all part of a growing list of things made in Michigan," she says.

There's still a controversy regarding the true value of the tax credits in helping turn around Michigan's economy. State lawmakers will again take aim at the credits as the they debate tax reforms and finding ways to fill a $1.5 billion budget hole.