Most states are targeting public employees and retirees to cut costs right now.

Governor Perry in Texas has recently cut film incentives as well, Lilo, much to the chagrin of filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez among others. In Michigan, your Republican governor's proposed flat tax of sorts* for businesses comes with a loss of almost $2 billion in revenue; thus the proposed eliminating of several business tax credits, including those for expansion or relocation, research and development, advanced battery ventures, in addition to film tax incentives you speak of. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I actually think I heard today that Gov. Snyder now recommends budgeting around $25 million for film incentives.

And what about in Wisconsin, where the teacher unions are on strike and practically up-in-arms b/c the governor wants state workers to pay one-half of their pension costs, and 12.6 percent of their health benefits. Currently, most state employees pay nothing for their pensions and virtually nothing for their health insurance.

The Wisconsin governor came out and plainly said someting along the lines of, 'Well, we're going broke, what else are we supposed to do?'


* 6 percent Corporate Income Tax plan, only federally designated "C" corporations — major corporations that have shareholders — would be subject to the tax. An estimated 95,000 businesses would be exempt from filing a state business tax return.