(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s new budget includes $5 million that will re-start the state’s film tax credits and create a state film office as part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Advocates, including Gov. Tony Evers, have pushed the tax credits as a way to have more movies and television shows film in the state, saying that will increase the amount of money spent by film production crews in Wisconsin.
But economists who have studied the tax credits believe they are simply a way to divert taxpayer funds to a specific industry.
Economist J.C. Bradbury of Georgia’s Kennesaw State University extensively studied Georgia’s larger film credit program, writing in a peer-reviewed paper that the state spent $230 per household on foregone tax revenue because of the initiative, which has cost taxpayers the equivalent of $110,000 per full-time job in the industry without bringing the promised benefits from the program.
The Wisconsin film tax credit would be applied to 25% of income paid to Wisconsin residents up to $250,000 apiece and for 25% of film-related expenses in the state and credits for acquiring or improving property that wasn’t owned before Dec. 31, 2025.
The budget inclusion was applauded by the advocacy group Action! Wisconsin, which pushed for the incentives and said that they will be crucial when production companies are deciding where to film.
“This budget provides a great start to growing Wisconsin’s film and tv industry, strengthening our overall economy, and showcasing our state on screens large and small across the country and the world,” said Katie Heil, founding member of Action! Wisconsin.
The tax credit excludes live sports productions, news, awards ceremonies and more.
