Written by David Lewis on Aug 3, 2009. Posted in Incentive News

Wisconsin incentive vetoed

Wisconsin’s hard-earned and effective film tax incentives became history, for the time being anyway, when Governor Jim Doyle used his veto authority in the biennial budget.

Ignoring thousands of supportive incentive calls and signatures asking him to retain the film incentives, Doyle slashed a proposed limit on the 25% refundable tax credit, from USD1.5 million to USD500,000 a year, which has been made retroactive to the beginning of 2009.

Although the veto was not unexpected, since Wisconsin is USD8 billion in debt, Film Wisconsin executive director Scott Robbe, called Doyle’s action “one of profound disbelief. Robbe went on to say: “It bewilders us as to why the governor would kill the only industry showing any growth within the state."

Since the tax incentives were enacted in 2008, Wisconsin benefited from USD75 million worth of studio and independent movie and TV production. Those revenues, in turn, helped build a film infrastructure throughout the state.

However, Strata Pictures’ USD5 million feature, No God, No Master, is shooting in the state so the industry carries on.