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Big Bird and other Stories
Author: TriSec    Date: 10/06/2012 11:51:43

Good Morning.

Perhaps you're vaguely aware of a gentleman named Carroll Spinney. You're almost certainly aware of his two most famous creations....one large, yellow, bird and a rather mean grouch that lives in a trash can. Mr. Spinney is a native of Waltham...and today's blog is dedicated to him.

A while ago now, I wrote this blog about our local gem, WGBH. Even if you're not from here, you know them well, as much of PBS's signature programming originates here in Allston, MA. It is unfortunate that our erstwhile governor has decided to hoist a large target over their spiffy new building.

But let's go back to 2005; when Romney was still governor. We weren't in overly good shape then. The budget was a mess, and we were near the bottom of the list in job creation among the states. Of course, the answer to our woes was a tax credit, this time for the film industry. (Caveat - this one actually worked, ever notice how many movies over the last 6 years or so have filmed here?) Even with a tax break, that still meant revenue for the state...and guess who one of the beneficiaries was?


In this week’s presidential debate, Mitt Romney said he would cut off funding to public broadcasting — sparking a social networking firestorm from fans of Big Bird and other beloved PBS characters.

But as governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed a bill that indirectly created a huge new pool of funding for WGBH and other companies that make shows for public television.

Boston public television giant WGBH­ received $4.2 million from the state’s film tax credit program last year alone for programs like “American Experience,” “Antiques Roadshow,” and “Nova.” And Watertown animation studio Soup2Nuts received about $300,000 in subsidies last year, mostly for the PBS series “WordGirl.”

“It has been very helpful for us to make our budget,” said WGBH spokeswoman Jeanne Hopkins. “That’s funding we would have to find elsewhere.”

The Massachusetts program offers companies $1 in film tax credits for every $4 they spend filming movies, television shows, and commercials in the state — including for PBS. Over the first five years, hundreds of productions qualified for more than $276 million in credits.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting receives about $450 million a year from the US government, which it then uses to support stations around the country.


Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said that unlike the federal government, Massachusetts had the money for the subsidies. She noted that Romney built a $2 billion rainy day fund in Massachusetts, while the federal government is running $1 trillion deficits.

But Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and a critic of the film tax credits, said the state wasn’t exactly swimming in extra cash. He noted that Romney made $425 million in emergency budget cuts in November 2006, a year after enacting the film tax credit program.


It is also noted elsewhere in the same story that "The Corporation for Public Broadcasting receives about $450 million a year from the US government, which it then uses to support stations around the country.". Perhaps that's the problem - Mitt cut 425 million in order to balance the state budget. Maybe he's still got that small-ball mentality.

Or maybe he's forgotten about all that and has just flipped again.


 

7 comments (Latest Comment: 10/06/2012 16:16:09 by livingonli)
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Comment by BobR on 10/06/2012 13:16:15
It's amazing how Romney so easily steps in it. He could've mentioned defunding PBS and left it at that, but no - he had to bring Big Bird into it, and that's all it took to revive everyone's fond memories of Sesame St.

Comment by Raine on 10/06/2012 13:16:21
Wow. So let me get this right: Subsidizing Big Bird for the state was good -- supporting big Bird federally is bad?

My head hurts.

good morning!

Comment by Raine on 10/06/2012 13:48:05
I'd love for someone to remake this and target it to mitt



Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/06/2012 13:52:56
I think that Mitt is going to find his "victory" this week to be short lived. He has contradicted all of his policies and I suspect that there will be a reckoning with the voters.

In good news, my grand niece Emily is recovering. The surgery went well.



Comment by Raine on 10/06/2012 13:54:36


down the rabbit hole I go!

Comment by Raine on 10/06/2012 13:55:35
Quote by Will in Chicago:
I think that Mitt is going to find his "victory" this week to be short lived. He has contradicted all of his policies and I suspect that there will be a reckoning with the voters.

In good news, my grand niece Emily is recovering. The surgery went well.


That's wonderful news. I;m so glad for Emily and you family!

WE are off to a festival today, so maybe we'll talk on yall latah!

Comment by livingonli on 10/06/2012 16:16:09
Good day, folks. In the salt mine early for College Football today and due to a sick call, I am now working a rare overtime shift so I will be here late tonight as it now turns out. At least it's good timing with the move and stuff. Now, I just got to find a place.