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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland |
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Kirkland promotes film tax credit and
tourism promotion funding as state revenue boosters
HARRISBURG, May 5 – State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D- Delaware, said the state Senate's plan to cut tourism promotion funding in the 2009-10 state budget would hurt Pennsylvania's economy and reduce the number of jobs available to state residents.
In addition, the Senate is proposing to eliminate the state's Film Production Tax Credit, which offers incentives to film companies that spend at least 60 percent of their production expenses in Pennsylvania. The Senate majority's plan would also slash the state's investment in tourism promotion, said Kirkland, chairman of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee.
"Hundreds of people in many fields have the opportunity to be employed when a film company comes to Pennsylvania to make a movie," Kirkland said. "The film tax credit is a modest investment in attracting production companies to our state to create those jobs, and provides the state with economic stimulus that is desperately needed."
Kirkland said the film tax credit and tourism promotion funds provide important support for the state's economy. He said the Senate should reconsider cutting programs like the film tax credit that help to create jobs for Pennsylvanians across such a wide spectrum of industries, and whose economic impact far exceeds their relatively small cost.
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Attention Radio News Directors: an actuality from Rep. Kirkland is available by calling 1-800-452-3001. Enter PA159 (7-2-159) and the pound sign (#) at the menu prompt to get today’s sound. You can also download the sound in .mp3 format by visiting www.pahouse.com/mediacenter.