TXMPA LOBBY DAY MARCH 9TH, 2011

TXMPA is pleased to announce that this year's Lobby Day is set for Wednesday, March 9 at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Please mark your calendars and join us in representing our industries. We'll announce more details soon, as your TXMPA Board members are hard at work with our advocacy firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Lawrence Collins to navigate this especially challenging, high-stakes legislative session under the cloud of a $27 billion state budget deficit.


As you may have heard, HB1 (the House version of the state budget bill) was filed this week, and includes a drastic proposed reduction to our industries' crucial and successful incentives program. Our incentives may be cut from $60 million to just $10 million for the coming biennium (2012-2013), which would be a devastating blow to film, tv, commercial and video game production and professionals in Texas.
Yet in the face of that, we have a great story to tell - our incentive program has generated over $610 million dollars in new in-state spending and has accounted for over 56,000 jobs for Texans. We strongly believe that cutting our program won't save Texas money, it'll cost us - both in terms of business and jobs. In fact, the Comptroller's Office recently released a study that found for every $117 in incentives granted, $1,000 in Texas production spending has been generated, reporting "Texas has proven to be successful." Our incentives are working, and putting Texans to work in Texas.


So what can you do? Now more than ever, we need your support. We call on all industry professionals working in film, television, commercials and video games across the state to join TXMPA today at txmpa.org - and if you're already a member, please take this opportunity to renew/extend your membership for another year, or consider an additional donation. The stakes have never been higher, and we know we can count on you. Please join now.