CÁRDENAS, FIFTY REPS CALL FOR HALT IN DOUBLING OF FILMING FEES
Friday, November 1, 2013
CÁRDENAS, FIFTY REPS CALL FOR HALT IN DOUBLING OF FILMING FEES
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas joined more than 50 representatives from both sides of the aisle this week, sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture, requesting that filming fees for public lands not be increased. Currently, fees are expected to nearly double, potentially damaging the American entertainment industry.
Cárdenas and the bipartisan group of representatives wrote Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, noting that while, “there is no question that filmmakers understand the need to pay their fair share to use our public resources, we are concerned that the proposed increase will further facilitate film production outside the United States.”
On average, a major motion picture spends more than $225,000 each day “on location,” benefiting small businesses in the filming area. Hotels, lumberyards, dry cleaners, florists, caterers and car rentals are just a few of the businesses positively impacted by filming.
“This is a very simple request that our government treat these American businesses fairly,” said Cárdenas. “Our cities and municipalities are struggling to maintain revenue as it is. Our government agencies should not push filmmakers away from home, hurting our economy and jobs.”
“The MPAA has long supported the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture’s ability to collect reasonable fees for filming on public lands to ensure that taxpayers are never burdened,” said CEO and Chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd. “The proposed increase, however, would discourage the very filming that is bringing the parks revenue, encouraging tourism by introducing them to a global audience and supporting businesses in the communities around them. We hope the Departments will adopt a more reasonable fee structure closer to the California Film Commission proposal that we have endorsed.”
54 members of Congress, including 16 Republican members, co-signed the Cárdenas letter, which was delivered earlier this week.
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