Hollywood Comes to Michigan Holding a Tin Cup

Michigan bureaucrats have decided that their financially strapped state is so needful of an "economic impact" that they are willing to lose money to get it. Not my words, mind you, but those of our esteemed lawyer-Governor, Jennifer Granholm, as she commented on Michigan's newly signed legislation that offers corporate welfare to the movie making and television industries--industries that will likely remain anchored to their current Hollywood community for their more important permanent jobs, while offering scrap-craving dog states such as Michigan their no-commitment transient work.

I suppose I should be thankful that the good governor hasn't decided to go out and break a leg or two because of our need for more health care.

Am I kidding? Not a chance.

State officials said the amount of state spending on movie and TV production credits will depend on the number and size of qualifying projects. The initial estimate on the cost to the state in the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, is about $19 million, said Deputy State Treasurer Scott Schrager.

Although an analysis by the state Senate Fiscal Agency suggested the incentives are so generous the net effect could be a decline in state tax revenues, Granholm insisted the immediate economic impact from filmmakers is worth it.

"Without the tax credit ... (the) work just wouldn't be done here," she said.

Conversely, if that work was not done here the state might save $19 million. By all means, lets get as much of that work as we can!