Make Washington Competitive
George Riddell
Photo credit: The Walking Dead, AMC Network
Georgia Did It. Why Not Us?
By George Riddell
A recent article in Adweek—Georgia’s TV and Film Industry Now Brings in $7 Billion a Year, Fueled by Smart Incentives—shares some envy-inducing news:
"245 film and TV productions were shot in Georgia during fiscal year 2016.... Those productions spent $2.02 billion during that time and generated an economic impact of $7.2 billion."
"The film and television industry is responsible for more than 85,300 jobs and nearly $4.2 billion in total wages in Georgia."
Georgia's ROI is less than half of Washington's proven return, which has been 10:1 for the past 7 years. And Washington State legislators won't pass film incentives worth even a tiny fraction of Georgia's. The potential for Washington state is huge—in economic stimulus, jobs, tourism, tax revenue and more. But short-sighted lawmakers can't see it.
This year, the state's current motion picture program is scheduled to end unless Washington lawmakers change their tune.
Want to help? Call your state representative or state senator and ask them to support the Washington Motion Picture Competitiveness Program. It's that simple.