ROAD TO RENEWAL
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WORDS OF SUPPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL
A tax break we support: Washington Filmworks
It surprises some to hear that the WSLC and other labor organizations are joining the business community and legislators of both parties in supporting a tax break. The Washington Filmworks program, a tax incentive to bring film and television production projects to the state, is supported by AFTRA-Seattle and IATSE, and delegates to the WSLC 2010 Convention endorsed a resolution in strong support of it.
Unlike many other tax breaks the WSLC would like to see suspended during this budget crisis, Washington Film Works has demonstrably attracted numerous projects to the state. Those projects have provided thousands of hours of well-paid, private-sector employment for the state's actors, technical support workers, and production support businesses. This is what tax breaks should demonstrably do, not simply go to existing state -- and out-of-state! -- industries and businesses with a questionable or undetermined effect on creating or maintaining jobs here in Washington.
The $7 million Washington Film Works program is set to expire in July and legislators heard testimony this week that the film industry will all but disappear without it. Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (D-Seattle) and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles have introduced HB 1554 and SB 5539 to extend it. The WSLC supports that effort. As with all tax breaks, the WSLC also supports adding reporting requirements to make the use and effectiveness of tax breaks more transparent.
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A LETTER FROM A LOCAL FILM INDUSTRY WORKER
It's not too late to write your local legislator! If you haven't yet written your legislator, here is a wonderful example.
Dear Senator Kline,
I am writing to you in support of SB5539.
My name is Melissa (Matthies) Purcell. I work as a freelance art director on commercials, and a prop master on feature films. I live in the 37th district, in Columbia City and have met you many times over the years. Mostly in Olympia, as I pounded the pavement in support of my industry, but also through my children's school, (Orca K-8) and education legislation.
I worked hard three years ago to help pass the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program and I am writing to you today, to ask for your support in renewing this important legislation at it's new and improved level, so that the program can continue on with even more success.
I have been working in this industry here in Seattle for the last twenty four years. Many things about our industry have changed since then, most recently the intense competition to attract television, commercials and films to those states that have invested in strong tax incentives programs. The reason it's competitive is because of the huge amount of money these jobs pour into the local economy. In the last three years, since the creation of Washington Filmworks, and the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program, the fifty nine projects that were a part of the program spent an estimated $55million dollars here in Washington.
Both my husband and myself work in a freelance capacity in this business. We bought a house seventeen years ago and now we are raising our two school age children. It is imperative that Washington Filmworks and the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program are renewed and at the level that SB5539 proposes in order for us to support our family.
Renewing at this higher level will afford our state to compete in bringing in larger budgeted projects, which translates to longer employment time and more hires. These are family wage jobs, that hire within a month of being approved for the program. It is a business that grows jobs when there is plenty of work to go around. It is the only incentives program in the country that requires a production to provide health and retirement benefits for all positions typically covered by a collective bargaining agreement. That translates directly, to more hours being paid into my health and welfare benefits for myself and my family!
Twenty years ago, we had feature films, we had Northern Exposure as a TV series, we had national commercials routinely working in Washington. This is no longer true. With out a strong incentives program we are nothing! The films and commercials that pay a family wage will go elsewhere. We haven't been able to attract a television series, strictly because our program isn't large enough!
As I understand it, Washington Filmworks has in the last three years committed $14.3million in funding assistance through the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program, and brought in $109million in economic activity, which represents a 7:1 return on investment. In these difficult economic times this is a program worth passing. Please do all that you can to support SB5539.
The favor of a reply would be appreciated, so that I know where you stand on this important Bill.
Thank you for your time and effort.
Sincerely,
- Melissa Purcell
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FILM DAY IN OLYMPIA
Join fellow film industry workers and Washington Filmworks for "Film Day in Olympia" on Wednesday, February 23 in support of HB 1554 and SB 5539, the legislation to renew the state's Motion Picture Competitiveness Program. The time has been changed from 10:00am - 2:00pm to 12:00pm to 4:00pm. The production incentive program remains the single best tool we have to win motion picture business in Washington and in this difficult economic climate, your support is critical to get the incentive program renewed.
If you have four hours to give to this effort, now is the time: We will need between 50 to 75 local film industry workers to volunteer for the Film Day event, to meet with legislators and share how the incentive program impacts the lives of Washington state cast and crew. If you are available and willing to help, please send an email to Info@WashingtonFilmworks.org with the subject line, " Film Day in Olympia." Please include your name, phone number (cell preferred), affiliation with the industry, your address and/or your Legislative District number (to find out who your elected officials are click here) in the body of your email. We will follow up with more detailed instructions. Thank you!
--Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks