KEEP OUR WORK IN CALIFORNIA!

For over a hundred years, the entertainment industry has been a vital part of California’s story, helping transform our state into the 5th largest economy in the world. This industry doesn’t just entertain– it fuels our communities, creates jobs, and supports public services that make California a better place for everyone. The taxes we pay go toward schools, healthcare, environmental protections, workplace safety, civil rights, and support for our neighbors in need. As entertainment industry families, we live, work, and give back in California. We’re homeowners, parents, volunteers, mentors, and active tax-paying citizens dedicated to making our cities and neighborhoods stronger. This industry is not only our livelihood, but our legacy.

Right now, nearly 40% of us are out of work. Since 2022, more than 20,000 jobs in the below-the-line crafts have disappeared, costing California $2 billion in lost wages and hundreds of millions in tax revenue that are crucial to our economy. California is the heart of this industry, and it’s here that the magic of film and television truly lives. But without competitive film and television tax incentives, many of us are being forced to leave the state we call home. Over the last 10 years film and television incentives have expanded globally. This has made California's tax incentive program unable to compete, putting the 2nd largest industry in the state in danger of collapse.

Recently Governor Gavin Newsom put forth a proposal that would raise California’s annual incentive cap from $330 million to $750 million. While this is an important initial move, we need more substantial changes to keep our work in California. We need to ensure that creators, artisans, performers, and ancillary businesses reliant on this sector can continue to maintain their income, but also guarantee that the state keeps reaping the economic advantages this industry offers, such as drawing millions of international tourists– tourism being the 3rd largest industry in the state of California.

We cannot afford to allow the motion picture industry to continue to leave California. We're not just losing the livelihood of tens of thousands of working families, we're also losing our legacy as the heart of the entertainment industry, and our status as the filmmaking capital of the world. 

In signing this petition, we stand together asking you to keep Californians working. We must act now to protect our legacy and ensure California’s future.