As states elbow each other to lure movie makers to their markets with increasingly attractive tax incentives, some say the competition has gone too far.
Some worry that states are having to offer sweeter and sweeter deals in order to keep up with the competition, but are greatly decreasing the worth of those contracts to the state's coffers.
"Michigan may offer the sweetest deal to moviemakers, but the reality is that almost every state has some incentives designed to attract Hollywood productions. What was unique just a few years ago has quickly become standard. Back in 2002, only five states offered production incentives for film projects. But as of the beginning of this year, more than 40 states do. Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois and Louisiana, for instance, offer 30 percent tax credits or rebates, while Alabama, Maryland and North Carolina offer 25 percent--and on down the line. In fact, these types of incentives have become so de rigeur that even California has felt obliged to get in on the act. Lawmakers last year approved a 25 percent credit for films shot in the Golden State.
All totaled, states distributed $1.8 billion in incentives and tax credits to the entertainment industry from 2006-2008, according to an Associated Press study. 'States are trapped,' says Robert Tannenwald, an economist and a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 'Thanks to the extreme mobility of film production, when one state goes after these movies, another state, if it wants to stay in the game, has to match the deal they're offering.'"
FULL STORY: The Value of Movie Tax Incentives

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie