Empire State Film Tax Credit Creates Union Jobs

The New York State Film and Television Tax Credit is a unique program that has made New York a leader in global competition for movie and television production and puts tens of thousands of New York union members to work each year. We urge the Legislature to include an extension to the Film and Television Tax Credit Program in the 2019-20 State Budget and we urge the Governor to support this vital program. 

The film credit has an established and demonstrable track record of creating 48,300 middle class jobs across New York State in 2017. That amounts to $4.3 billion in personal income for that year. These are union jobs that drove $6.7 billion in local spending in 2017 and included full health insurance and pension benefits as well as worker protections. 

Employers are only eligible for the credit after the production has occurred and the jobs have been created. In addition, employers must comply with strict transparency and reporting requirements to show the jobs were in fact created. The credit is structured to go directly to wages for men and women working on film and television productions. It does not go to executive jobs or Hollywood stars. 

In addition to the direct entertainment industry jobs created, the film credit has led to tens of thousands of jobs in construction, catering, transportation and the many other services needed to support the industry. This includes over 30 soundstages that have been built (or in the active pipeline) since 2016 and over $550 million in investment. 

We must continue to support the entertainment industry as a whole in this state and fully funding and supporting the Empire State Film Tax Credit is the centerpiece of that support.

Mario Cilento, President