The Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit is a

tax credit A tax credit is a tax incentive which allows certain taxpayers to subtract the amount of the credit they have accrued from the total they owe the state. It may also be a credit granted in recognition of taxes already paid or a form of state "dis ...

program supporting the production of

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

s and

television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...

s in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. The tax credit was signed into law by Gov.

Ed Rendell Edward Gene Rendell (; born January 5, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, politician, and author. He served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011, as chair of the national Democratic Party, and as the 96th Mayor of Philad ...

in July 2004. The tax credit for qualifying productions equals a 25% reduction in Personal Income Tax, Corporate Net Income, Capital Stock/Foreign Franchise Tax. However, because most productions filming in Pennsylvania do not incur a tax liability in the state, the credits are fully transferable, which means they can be sold to a company or individual in the state who does have a tax liability. In order to qualify for the tax credit, the production must incur 60% of its total production expenses within Pennsylvania. The credit also applies to individual television shows that are 15 minutes or longer and intended for a national audience. Watchdogs, including the Pennsylvania Common Cause criticized lobbyist Leslie McCombs for failing to properly register as a lobbyist for

Lions Gate Entertainment Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...

while lobbying on behalf of the tax credit. A 2009 report from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee in the

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

found that the tax credit supported 4,000 jobs and produced $4.5 million between 2007 and 2008. During the 2009 Pennsylvania budget impasse, the tax credit was in danger of being repealed. Instead, its total amount was reduced from $75 million to $42 million, with that number increasing to $60 million the next year. The tax credit was expanded again during the state budget negotiations in summer 2016. $65 million will be available for fiscal year 2017-18. The tax credit brought the production of ''

Zack and Miri Make a Porno ''Zack and Miri Make a Porno'' (also known simply as ''Zack and Miri'') is a 2008 American sex comedy film written, directed and edited by Kevin Smith and starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. It was released on October 31, 2008. Plot Zack ...

'', ''

The Road ''The Road'' is a 2006 post-apocalyptic novel by American writer Cormac McCarthy. The book details the grueling journey of a father and his young son over a period of several months across a landscape blasted by an unspecified cataclysm that ha ...

'', ''

Shelter Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. Shelter may also refer to: Places * Port Shelter, Hong Kong * Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations * Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...

'', ''

Shannon's Rainbow ''Shannon's Rainbow'' (also listed as ''Amazing Racer'') is a 2009 drama and family film both produced and directed by Frank E. Johnson. It stars Julianne Michelle and Claire Forlani, with a musical score by Charles David Denler.

'', ''

Sorority Row Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...

'', and ''

She's Out of My League ''She's Out of My League'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Jim Field Smith and written by Sean Anders and John Morris. It stars Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve, and was produced by Jimmy Miller and David Householter for Paramoun ...

'' to the

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

region in 2008 and 2009. The majority of filming for '' I Am Number Four'' also took place in the greater Pittsburgh area in 2010 due to the tax credit.

References

Taxation in Pennsylvania Tax credits Cinema of Pennsylvania {{Pennsylvania-stub

See also

References