Supervisors back tax credits for TV and film

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion co-authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath on Tuesday that formally conveys their support to Gov. Gavin Newsom for an extension of the current California Film Tax Credit for another five years.

Administered by the California Film Commission, the tax credit program provides economic relief to a variety of film and television companies that produce their projects in California. The current $1.55 billion tax relief program will expire on June 30, 2025.

“I believe in doing everything possible to keep jobs anchored in Los Angeles,” Barger, whose 5th District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, said in a prepared statement. “Easing the tax liabilities of film and television companies both large and small is a significant carrot that keeps them from moving their production out of state where it may be cheaper to film. We have an amazing production infrastructure here and we must seize every opportunity to protect and support it.”

“Los Angeles is the global capital of the creative economy, in no small part because of the entertainment industry. As more states create programs to attract film production, we must continue to incentivize filming in our state and in Los Angeles County,” Horvath, who represents the 3rd District, said in the release. “Production creates jobs that provide a living wage with low barriers to entry, and continues the magic of the creative economy in Los Angeles. I fully support incentivizing keeping these jobs here at home and expanding opportunities for diverse communities to become more equitably represented in this industry.”

Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell mentioned during the board’s policy discussion that there should also be a board focus on how entertainment industry studios are working to create an equitable workforce pipeline that adds diversity among its employees.

Barger replied affirmatively, saying, “We certainly have a lot of work to do when it comes to hiring and diversity. We must capitalize and promote the local talent available in our communities who can be significantly uplifted by these types of stable and well-paying jobs.”