Governor Proposes Ending Film Tax Credits
'Public Enemies' Brought $5M To State
Updated: 2:00 pm CST February 18, 2009
MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle is proposing eliminating lucrative film tax credits that helped lure the Johnny Depp film "Public Enemies" to Wisconsin last year.Doyle didn't mention the cut in his budget speech to lawmakers on Tuesday.But details revealed in budget documents released on Wednesday show Doyle wants to kill the 1-year-old program that granted tax credits to filmmakers shooting in Wisconsin.Instead, he would allow the state Department of Commerce to award up to $500,000 a year in grants to film and video projects that create permanent jobs in the state.A Commerce Department review of the "Public Enemies" film showed that while it brought about $5 million in economic activity to the state, it collected $4.6 million in tax breaks.
Previous Stories:
- February 13, 2009: State Tax Credits Help Pay For Depp's Entourage For 'Public Enemies'
- November 21, 2008: Road Detour For Depp Movie Shoot Cost County
Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.





