Iowa Film Tax Credit Program Suspended

Celia Cyanide · Oct 7, 2009

http://www.kcci.com/news/20993701/detail.html

Iowa Film Office manager Tom Wheeler has been put on paid administrative leave. Wheeler has directly overseen the program which has lured at least 20 film productions to Iowa.

An internal memo said questions arose over two luxury cars. Before he resigned, Tramontina wrote, "The Code clearly authorizes the purchase of vehicles but the fact they were luxury vehicles (Mercedes and a Land Rover), were not used directly on the film and the amount of credits claimed was the full purchase price rather than the lease cost during the project were judged to be abuses."

I'm interested in this story, because I'm an actress and producer, and I'm interested in getting film and TV projects funded outside of Hollywood. The tax incentives bring in a lot of work for us. I live in Minnesota, and we looked to Iowa as an example, and hoped that our state government would have a tax incentive program like theirs.

This is a serious fuckup. If you are buying luxury cars and trying to get a tax credit, you know you're doing something wrong. Don't you?

StephanieFox · Oct 7, 2009

Celia Cyanide said:
http://www.kcci.com/news/20993701/detail.html

I'm interested in this story, because I'm an actress and producer, and I'm interested in getting film and TV projects funded outside of Hollywood. The tax incentives bring in a lot of work for us. I live in Minnesota, and we looked to Iowa as an example, and hoped that our state government would have a tax incentive program like theirs.

This is a serious fuckup. If you are buying luxury cars and trying to get a tax credit, you know you're doing something wrong. Don't you?

You want movie funding to come back to Minnesota? It dried up because Pawlenty cancelled it to 'save taxpayers money.' Yeah, well it cost taxpayer jobs. Once he's gone to run for president, let's elect someone not so shortsighted.

(I'm from MN, too.)

Celia Cyanide · Oct 7, 2009

StephanieFox said:
You want movie funding to come back to Minnesota? It dried up because Pawlenty cancelled it to 'save taxpayers money.' Yeah, well it cost taxpayer jobs. Once he's gone to run for president, let's elect someone not so shortsighted.

(I'm from MN, too.)

Yeah, Snowbate used to be a great program. I know the Coen Brothers ate up a lot of the money when they were here, but it is now a new year! I wish they would bring it back. It brought jobs in for actors and crew people, and the fact is, the LA types LOVED working with us. We have a good work ethic here. Now, we just can't compete with the tax incentives of other states.

blacbird · Oct 7, 2009

StephanieFox said:
You want movie funding to come back to Minnesota? It dried up because Pawlenty cancelled it to 'save taxpayers money.' Yeah, well it cost taxpayer jobs. Once he's gone to run for president, let's elect someone not so shortsighted.

Like Jesse Ventura.

Or maybe Michele Bachmann.

caw

Iowa Film Tax Credit Program Suspended

Celia Cyanide

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Celia Cyanide

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