NEW ORLEANS — Actor Wendell Pierce is calling a move to sunset Louisiana's film incentive program "atrocious", warning it could destroy the state's film industry overnight.
His comments came after the Louisiana House voted to eliminate the tax credit as part of a package of bills aimed at reducing state income tax.
"I don't understand it. It's one of those things — if we outlawed fishing in Louisiana, it would be as logical as that to me," said Pierce, a New Orleans native.
Gov. Jeff Landry and his legislative supporters want to eliminate various tax credits and exemptions to reduce personal and corporate income taxes.
"We're losing our population, and we are not attracting business," said Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro. "This is our attempt to try and attract more businesses to our state, to create more jobs, to employ more people."
Louisiana pioneered film incentives in 1992, becoming the first state to adopt such a program. It currently offers up to a 40 percent tax credit on eligible in-state expenditures, helping build a billion-dollar industry that supports tens of thousands of jobs.
Pierce noted that when Louisiana merely discussed ending the credit program a decade ago, film industry jobs and investments left the state for Georgia, which now surpasses Los Angeles in production volume.
"If we kill the film tax credits, we will speak of Hollywood South in memory, in terms of 'I remember when,'" Pierce said.
He pointed to ongoing projects that could be affected, including friend Anthony Mackie's studio development in New Orleans East and studios now planned for the Bayou Phoenix site at the former Six Flags amusement park.
Emerson, who chairs the House tax committee, suggested lawmakers might revive the film tax credit program during next year's regular session.
"Understand that's a little bit of a promise," she said. "These credits will not be sunsetting until after the next regular session."
The bill now moves to the Senate for further debate. The special tax session must conclude by Nov. 25.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.