Allegro
Legislative Update
Volume CIV, No. 10October, 2004
TAX CREDITS FOR NYC FILMS
CITY WORKFORCE SAFETY ACT PASSED
SIGN OVERTIME PROTECTION PETITION!
TAX CREDITS FOR NYC FILMS
Governor Pataki has signed into law a bill creating tax incentives for film and television production to assist in the fight against runaway filmmaking to other cities. As reported by Backstage, the new law will provide $25 million annually over four years to cover tax write-offs for film and television shows produced in New York state. Under the new legislation, New York City will be able to provide as much as $1.5 million in annual tax credits for production in the city. The legislation covers below-the-line costs for feature films and television series that shoot 75 percent of their productions in New York. The Screen Actors Guild, a heavy supporter of this initiative, believes that this legislation will create additional production jobs.
CITY WORKFORCE SAFETY ACT PASSED
On Aug. 12, City Council unanimously passed the Workplace Safety and Protection Act (Intro 313-A), which will require the city to annually publish detailed information regarding injuries and illnesses experienced by municipal employees who are covered by workers’ compensation. The reason for this act is that currently the city is unable to take the necessary precautions to reduce the number and severity of on-the-job injuries without current information. It is estimated that New York City pays in excess of $140 million per year in direct costs due to the loss of productivity and the training of new workers. Beginning in January 2005, labor leaders will have the ability to investigate and seek remedies for hundreds of workplace incidents throughout the city.
SIGN OVERTIME PROTECTION PETITION!
New federal rules limiting overtime eligibility pay went into effect on Aug. 23rd. The AFL-CIO has estimated that some six million people are expected to lose their right to overtime pay. Please take a moment to log on to www.aflcio.org, find “Take Action!” and click on “Tell President Bush and Congress to turn back Bush’s overtime pay take-away.”