Incentives endangered

L.A. City Council passes resolution supporting program

By DAVE MCNARY

The State Assembly has recommended pulling the plug on the current $10 million in funding for the Film California First incentive program as part of dozens of spending cuts to narrow the state's $30 billion deficit.

The action is not final since the State Senate and Gov. Gray Davis still have to approve a revised budget during the next week. But the Los Angeles City Council has already passed a resolution supporting "continued funding of this essential program."

In December, Davis proposed $2.1 million in cuts to Film California First, which reimburses state and local agencies for film production costs. Program was created in 2000, when Davis tapped the state's surplus and initiated a program to subsidize production costs through rebates to producers to cover costs of state and federal employees, property use fees, safety costs and public equipment fees.