Michigan Chamber Thanks House Members Who Chose Michigan Taxpayers Over Hollywood Handouts

LANSING, Mich., March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber of Commerce today applauds members of the State House for passing House Bill 4122 to finally end Michigan's wasteful and ineffective film subsidy.

"The vote today clearly illustrates which representatives are serious about cutting wasteful spending and those who are fine supporting government boondoggles," said Michigan Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley. "We commend the new leadership in the Michigan House for reexamining the merits of this subsidy and showing the resolve to govern in the best interest of taxpayers."

"We applaud State Representative Dan Lauwers and every state legislator who joined with him in placing a higher priority on Michigan taxpayers and saying NO to Hollywood film producers who only come to town to pick up a check," said Jim Holcomb, Senior Vice President for Business Advocacy & General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber. "Astonishingly, some legislators continue to vote in support of the program despite the data showing it is a failure."

"Egregiously, during the Lame Duck session of 2014, legislators made this bad law even worse by gifting more money for highly compensated movie executives while eliminating incentives for hiring Michigan residents," noted Tricia Kinley, Senior Director of Tax & Regulatory Reform for the Michigan Chamber. "The current subsidy also allows producers to circumvent the nominal Michigan-hiring expectations, making it even less likely that Michigan residents will benefit."

"The Michigan Chamber has concluded that if you tossed money out of an airplane, it would have a far better chance of landing in Michigan than this ineffective program," Kinley added.  

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is a statewide business organization representing approximately 6,700 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber represents businesses of every size and type in all 83 counties of the state. Michigan Chamber member businesses provide jobs to 1.5 million residents. One of every 2.6 employees in Michigan works for a Chamber member firm. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. It is one of only six state chambers accredited by the U.S. Chamber and one of only four state chambers accredited with distinction.

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SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce

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http://www.michamber.com