RYAN CALLS ON NEW YORK'S COUNTIES TO JOIN EFFORT TO SAVE STATE'S DISAPPEARING FILM INDUSTRY BUSINESS
The Economic Impact Of Industry Benefits Taxpayers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2007

Contact: Betsy DeSoye, Director of Communications, (914) 995-3277

Pointing out that New York is now losing much of its multi-billion dollar film and TV production business, County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-I-WF, White Plains) has taken his campaign to overhaul the state's tax incentive program for the film industry to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

Ryan, 2nd VP of NYSAC, presented his case to the NYSAC Board of Directors at their meeting in Albany on Wednesday. He noted that the film industry business in New York ----in particular the major studio driven films* ---- has largely dried up due to a weak state tax incentive program that has failed to keep pace with states such as Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Ryan asked NYSAC to consider joining the effort to get Albany to make the state's incentive program competitive and bring this valuable and prestigious industry back to New York.

"This is about important revenue to the state and many counties and cities," said Ryan. "We're constantly looking for ways to relieve the burden on property taxpayers. Here we have an alternative source of revenue worth billions and we're standing by watching it disappear. Neighboring states have the numbers to prove that our loss has been their gain." Ryan pointed out that six months into its new tax incentive program, Connecticut reported $52 million in new film production revenue, compared with only $750,000 for the six months prior to the start of its program.

The NYSAC Board, representing hundreds of officials from the state's 62 counties, agreed to assign its staff analysts to study the issue. They will gather additional data and information that could support reform legislation. "I'm hopeful their work will be available for review at our December Board of Directors meeting," Ryan said. "At that time, I will ask the NYSAC Board to consider a resolution urging the Governor and Legislature to act."

Soon after Wednesday's meeting, Ryan began hearing from county representatives, some here in the Hudson Valley, of their interest in joining the effort. "Everyone should react favorably to a revenue measure that helps reduce the property tax burden."

* For Westchester County, so far this year only 2 major movies were filmed as compared to 13 major movies in 2006.