Give the NY Times “data reporter” two studies on New York’s billions in payments to Hollywood film and TV producers and multinational media corporations. The more recent (and far more methodologically robust and transparent) study was done by a nationally-recognized independent consultancy based in Philadelphia that does not do consulting for the film industry. The […]

In healthy democracies, the ruling party does not delay the budget by a month to make all decisions in a back room, then rush a vote using “emergency powers.”   New York’s budget is a month late, but that’s nothing – it’s also chock full of policy items decided on in complete secrecy by the […]

Governor Hochul and the Legislature are boosting New York’s Film/TV, Broadway, Excelsior, and other reimbursable tax credit programs by at least $3.7 billion. Reimbursable tax credits are direct payments from the state to film producers and others reimbursing them for a chunk of their expenses – for instance, 30% of the cost of making a […]

The Democrats who completely control the New York State Legislature are secretly negotiating the budget internally via virtual conference, and will pass it next week with no public hearings, no floor debate, and close to zero public scrutiny (City & State).  The budget takes up most of the legislative session and has evolved to include […]