Vexing “Situation” in Jersey: $420,000 Tax Credit for MTV’s “Jersey Shore” Angers NJ Taxpayers & Politicians
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on September 17, 2011
Cast of MTV's reality show 'Jersey Shore' - thanks for the tax credit, taxpayers! More tanning time!
Quote from Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino, Season 1 of Jersey Shore:
“Everybody at the Shore definitely knows The Situation. As far as I know, everybody loves The Situation, and if you don’t love The Situation, I’m gonna make you love The Situation.”
Uh, maybe not so much on this “situation,” Mikey.
New Jersey politicians and taxpayers are pretty torqued off about this new tax credit “situation” for the MTV reality series Jersey Shore, and no one can make them “love” it. Sen. Paul Sarlo has proclaimed the tax credit “a terrible, terrible and misguided waste.”
Your taxpayer dollars hard at work… however, nearly half a million dollars is laugh-worthy chicken feed during the era of Obama’s spendthrift administration.
But at least the New Jersey taxpayers helped fund a TV show that is cerebral and enlightening, not mindless, vapid, stupid, materialistic, self-absorbed, clichéd, or sex-frenzied, right?
Reported by Daily Caller, ‘Jersey Shore’ to receive $420k tax credit:
Several New Jersey legislators and Italian-American special interest groups are asking Governor Chris Christie to block a tax credit that could pay for Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s GTL routine. For the tragically unhip, GTL stands for ”gym, tan, laundry.”
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved a tax credit on Wednesday for the production company of the popular MTV show ”Jersey Shore.” The funds will cover part of the expense of the show’s inaugural season in 2009. The handout was part of the first round of approvals since Gov. Christie suspended the program in 2010 in an effort to balance the state’s budget.
Defenders of the Snooki-subsidy, including the mayor of Seaside Heights where the season was filmed, say the program attracts vital tourism dollars to the Garden State.
Not everyone agrees, though. “As if they can make a show called ‘Jersey Shore’ anywhere else,” said Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlan sarcastically, in a statement to the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Still others object to state taxpayer dollars paying for a show that reinforces stereotypes of Italian Americans by focusing on hard-drinking, fake-tanned, steroid-juiced “guido” characters.
“It is disparaging to Italian Americans. He should veto it,” state Sen. Joe Vitale told the Star-Ledger.
Ultimately, the decision may be out of the Gov. Christie’s hands.
From Yahoo News, ‘Jersey Shore’ tax credit approved; NJ taxpayers angry they’re paying for Snooki, The Situation:
It’s a situation sure to irk New Jersey taxpayers.
The state Economic Development Authority has approved covering a $420,000 tax credit for production costs from the “Jersey Shore’s” first season.
That means tax dollars will be used to offset the cost of all the club hopping, fist-pumping and fake tanning from the hit reality show’s 2009 season.
The irony that New Jersey residents will be forced to foot the bill for a show that many view as an affront to the state’s self-image is not lost on some.
“I can’t believe we are paying for fake tanning for ‘Snooki’ and ‘The Situation’, and I am not even sure $420,000 covers that,” Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon told The Star-Ledger of Newark.
Gov. Chris Christie’s office said, while Christie doesn’t like the show and opposed the tax credit, he has no control over the authority’s decision.
From LA Times, ‘Jersey Shore’ gets tax rebate from state of New Jersey:
Call it Snooki Capitalism.
New Jersey legislators are pitching a fit after the state’s Economic Development Authority approved a $420,000 tax rebate this week for the first season of MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
“Let us just hope against hope that New Jersey taxpayers don’t end up paying for Snooki’s bail the next time she is arrested,” state Sen. Paul Sarlo told the New Jersey Star-Ledger, referring to one of the show’s stars. “What a terrible, terrible and misguided waste.”
“Jersey Shore” — either an engrossing reality show or the end of Western civilization as we know it, depending on whom you ask — received the rebate retroactively for 2009 as part of a legislative program intended to drive business to the state by exempting a portion of filming expenses. (MTV did not immediately return a request for comment.)
The show qualified for the program not because of its content, but by meeting a program rule requiring that at least 50% of production expenses happen inside New Jersey. It was one of six productions to receive the rebate, including “Law & Order: SVU,” which got a $9-million rebate, and two live-wrestling events titled “Hell in a Cell,” which got $400,000.
From Deadline, Tax Credit For ‘Jersey Shore’ MTV Mayhem:
The idea that New Jersey taxpayers are helping to enable the Jersey Shore gang to party hearty and get their fight on isn’t sitting well.
[...]
A Democratic state Senator and an Italian American group today called on Republican Gov. Chris Christie to block the tax credit awarded yesterday to the MTV hit reality show’s production company 495 Productions. “It is disparaging to Italian Americans. He should veto it, ” said state Sen. Joe Vitale. A spokesman for the governor said that Christie doesn’t like the show and opposed the tax credit yet has no control over the decision. And not everyone is against it. In Seaside Heights, where the show is filmed, the mayor said even though Jersey Shore can show the state in a negative light, the investment pays big local dividends. “A lot of the business folks here appreciate that,” he said.
From NJ.com, Angry N.J. politicians urge Gov. Christie to veto $420K film tax credit for MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’:
The EDA approved the $420,000 film tax credit for for the 2009 production of the inaugural season of the hit television show. The approval was part of the first round of film tax credits awarded by the EDA since Gov. Chris Christie suspended the program in 2010 to close budget deficit.
The other shows awarded tax credits included a film called “Chlorine” starring Kyra Sedgwick and “Hell in a Cell @ Newark,” a collection of live wrestling matches.
The $10 million program gives eligible film and television production companies a 20 percent tax credit on their expenses in New Jersey. The EDA is no longer taking applications because they already have enough in the pipeline to extend to 2015, when it’s set to expire.
Gotta say congrats on the Teen Choice Award, Snooki! With that dubious honor and this controversial tax credit for the show, maybe Rutgers University will hire her again to speak to students — if Snooki isn’t in police custody or in jail, that is.
In May in Italy, 'Jersey Shore's' Snooki was taken into police custody after hitting a police car | Photo credit: Glitterazzi
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