Media Rights Capital, the production team behind the successful Netflix series “House of Cards” that is currently filmed in Maryland, has a message for Gov. Martin O’Malley and House Speaker Michael E. Busch — ‘Provide us with better state tax incentives or we are leaving.’
Media Rights Capital, in a letter sent to both the governor and house speaker, said that they may need to “break down our stage, sets and offices and set up in another state,” if legislation allocating further funding to the project does not pass through the Maryland General Assembly.
In May of last year, Martin O’Malley visited the set to promote film tax credits. He praised Maryland’s budding film industry, saying it had become “the premier destination in America for film production.”
“We are ready to assist in any way possible to help with the passage of the bill,” Media Rights Capital’s letter stated to both politicians.”In the meantime, I wanted you to be aware that we are required to look at other states in which to film on the off chance that the legislation does not pass.”
In recent years, the State of Maryland has supported movie and television production companies that chose to film in the state with an approximate total of 40 million dollars in designated tax credits, according to The Washington Post.
Maryland’s economic development officials have previously committed 15 million dollars to the project each year over the past two years, however in light of the recently announced 2015 budget, state lawmakers are now in disagreement over new legislation that would boost the $7.5 million in film-designated tax credits.
“The film industry is like any industry,”, Jack Gerbes of the Maryland Film Office told The Post. In Gerbes’ opinion, a healthy profit margin will always define investment.
READ THE OFFICIAL LETTER HERE:
MRC’s Letter to Governor O’Malley