Senators wanted to double the current cap on credits offered to 20 million dollars a year. Republican Larry Obhof of Medina County says 27 films have been shot in Ohio in the last three years, accounting for more than 1,100 jobs.
“Then we have hundreds of additional people who are earning a wage that they weren’t before, who are paying taxes that they weren’t before.”
Democrat Michael Skindell of the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood said while he supported the movie credit last time, now it’s about choices and priorities, and for him that’s primary and secondary education.
“If we were in better times, I would be supporting this tax credit.”
Another Democrat voted against it, saying the program should require filmmakers to hire more African American and minority workers. The credit passed overwhelmingly, and now goes on to the House.