Jerry Brown extends tax credit for filmmakers until 2015

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Makers of film and television shows in California will continue to receive tax breaks through June 2015 for keeping their productions in California under a measure signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Sunday.

Advocates for the $100 million in annual credits, including the Motion Picture Assn. of America, championed the tax relief as a way to ensure film and television production, and thousands of jobs annually, remain in the state

Leaders of some of the state’s largest labor unions criticized the proposal as a corporate giveaway at a time when the state is slashing its safety net and making cuts to schools and other state-funded programs.

Brown’s signature of AB 1069 by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar) extends a program that was created as part of a 2009 budget deal, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It offers a rebate of up to 25% of production expenses, and can be used to offset state taxes for production companies. The credits cannot be used to pay actors’ salaries.

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--Anthony York in Sacramento