Louisiana Film Tax Credits: Costly Giveaways to Hollywood

Louisiana spent $231 million on film subsidies last year—a 29 percent increase over the previous fiscal year—at a time when the state’s investments in higher education, health care, infrastructure and public safety continued to erode.

A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project takes an in-depth look at these costly giveaways, and suggests ways the Legislature could improve the program.

“People are getting rich on this deal, and it isn’t Louisiana taxpayers,” said Jan Moller, Director of the Louisiana Budget Project. “Louisiana needs to limit the cost to taxpayers without pulling the rug out from under the industry.”

Read the full report here.

The governor's plan will mainly benefit corporations and the wealthy, while working and middle-class families will pay more for services and products we use every day such as diapers, garbage collection, haircuts and home repairs. Louisiana’s tax system certainly needs to be improved, but this is the wrong way to do it.
Gov. Jeff Landry has called the Legislature into a special session to overhaul Louisiana’s tax structure.