California Business Minute™

The California Redevelopment Association, CRA provides legislative
advocacy, professional development and public education.  In support
of its members it responds to legislative proposals and administrative
regulations.

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Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

The television show ‘Ugly Betty’ is moving back to New York to take
advantage of business incentives. The ABC show will leave Los Angeles,
returning to the city where the pilot was filmed and where the story takes
place in part because of a 35 percent tax credit offered by the city and state.

It will be filmed in Manhattan and Queens, and the show is expected to create
more than 200 full and part-time jobs in the area. On the Los Angeles end, more
than 300 members of the production crew expect to lose their jobs, according
to a letter the crew members sent to the Governor and local politicians.

"Instead of making good wages and paying our fair share of California state
income tax, we will all be collecting Unemployment Benefits," the letter states,
adding that "all of our local vendors are losing our business." The letter goes on
to implore California political leaders to "do everything in their power to level the
playing field" with similar incentives.

In response, Schwarzenegger said that California must increase tax incentives,
which have repeatedly failed to clear the Legislature, to prevent further moves.
"I've been trying to convince our lawmakers here that it is extremely important
to give tax incentives to Hollywood," Schwarzenegger said. ABC is owned by
The Walt Disney Co.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.