Not Happening: Massachusetts Tax Breaks For Game Developers
Not Happening: Massachusetts Tax Breaks For Game Developers
July 25, 2008
Recently, GamePolitics reported that the Massachusetts legislature was mulling the idea of tax incentives for the film and video game industries.
Game developers who were considering a move to Massachusetts based on that news may want to re-think their position, however.
The Boston Globe reports that, although the State House approved the tax breaks, the head of the State Senate, Sen. Therese Murray (D, at left), has nixed the idea:
Senate President Therese Murray said her chamber had no intention of taking it up before the end of the legislative session next week.
"I just don't think it's something that's affordable," Murray said yesterday in an interview. "It's not the top of our agenda."
She said lawmakers' time would be better spent on assessing a package controlling healthcare costs, approving bond bills, and reviewing the governor's budgetary vetoes.
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GamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 03/12/10 at 06:37am
nightwng2000: "God" on currency and in the US Pledge of allegence. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/11/BAS71CEC9F.DTL
nightwng2000: "God" on currency and in the US Pledge of allegence. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/11/BAS71CEC9F.DTL
Posted 03/12/10 at 06:36am
nightwng2000: Ninth Circuit court decides worship of a "God" isn't religion, it's patriotism, and uphold unconstitutionality of reference to..
nightwng2000: Ninth Circuit court decides worship of a "God" isn't religion, it's patriotism, and uphold unconstitutionality of reference to..
Posted 03/11/10 at 10:02pm
ZippyDSMlee: I stoped doing glue ages ago! Paste is where its at brother!!
ZippyDSMlee: I stoped doing glue ages ago! Paste is where its at brother!!
Posted 03/11/10 at 05:55pm
JDKJ: I ate a whole bucket of Elmer's glue, got sick, and threw it up all over myself. Look at me, everyone!! I'm covered in glue puke!!
JDKJ: I ate a whole bucket of Elmer's glue, got sick, and threw it up all over myself. Look at me, everyone!! I'm covered in glue puke!!
Posted 03/11/10 at 05:47pm
ZippyDSMlee: *tosses wiggling poo at you* IT IS IT IS IT IS!!!!!!!! :P
ZippyDSMlee: *tosses wiggling poo at you* IT IS IT IS IT IS!!!!!!!! :P
Posted 03/11/10 at 03:42pm
DarkSaber: No it's not. You're lying.
DarkSaber: No it's not. You're lying.
Posted 03/11/10 at 03:16pm
ZippyDSMlee: DarkSaber: My poo is still entertianing cuse its still wiggling after it comes out!!
ZippyDSMlee: DarkSaber: My poo is still entertianing cuse its still wiggling after it comes out!!
Posted 03/11/10 at 02:47pm
DarkSaber: I did a poo in the bathroom, everyone go take a look! Third cubicle on the left.
DarkSaber: I did a poo in the bathroom, everyone go take a look! Third cubicle on the left.
Posted 03/11/10 at 01:48pm
ZippyDSMlee: I shopped Michele and duke nukem stripper go take a look in the Michele article!!
ZippyDSMlee: I shopped Michele and duke nukem stripper go take a look in the Michele article!!
Posted 03/11/10 at 12:59pm
BearDogg-X: Just updated the shout. It does include the video game episode with interview of JT.
BearDogg-X: Just updated the shout. It does include the video game episode with interview of JT.
Posted 03/11/10 at 12:53pm
Andrew Eisen: Is that the one with the video game violence episode?
Andrew Eisen: Is that the one with the video game violence episode?
Posted 03/11/10 at 12:50pm
BearDogg-X: Penn & Teller Bullshit Season 7(which includes the video game episode) will be released on DVD May 4th.
BearDogg-X: Penn & Teller Bullshit Season 7(which includes the video game episode) will be released on DVD May 4th.
Posted 03/11/10 at 11:30am
pete_gallagher: on the front page
pete_gallagher: on the front page
Posted 03/11/10 at 11:29am
pete_gallagher: it's a new setting and it threw me too. basically we are going to truncate the stories in order to have more stories (and images
pete_gallagher: it's a new setting and it threw me too. basically we are going to truncate the stories in order to have more stories (and images
Posted 03/11/10 at 10:35am
Andrew Eisen: Yep. For now, just click "Read more" and you'll see the rest of the story.
Andrew Eisen: Yep. For now, just click "Read more" and you'll see the rest of the story.
Posted 03/11/10 at 10:27am
Valdearg: Whats up with the twitter-esque stories today? Having Technical Problems or something?
Valdearg: Whats up with the twitter-esque stories today? Having Technical Problems or something?
Posted 03/10/10 at 07:35pm
nightwng2000: I don't know. I fear the death of more brain cells if I read them.
nightwng2000: I don't know. I fear the death of more brain cells if I read them.
Posted 03/10/10 at 07:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Do they have sex? I bet they have sex.
Andrew Eisen: Do they have sex? I bet they have sex.
Posted 03/10/10 at 06:16pm
nightwng2000: And Doctor Who and the Teletubbies?! Someone ACTUALLY wrote a story combining Doctor Who and the Teletubbies?!
nightwng2000: And Doctor Who and the Teletubbies?! Someone ACTUALLY wrote a story combining Doctor Who and the Teletubbies?!
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Translation:
"Although a fellow body of legally elected representatives of the Massachusettes citrizenry has voted in favor of this proposal, I will use my unique position to stonewall further discussion. Despite the fact that I am the president of a body whose responsibility is to debate, I shall set the agenda of our debate such to prevent discussion of items with which I disagree."
Less sarcastically:
Listen, I understand that there is a finite amount of time before the legislature breaks in Massachusettes, and thus a finite amount of business which can be conducted. However, the concept of "legislative sessions" is one self-imposed by the legislature. They've chosen to restrict their availability for public discourse, and then use this as a means to bury leglisation on both a local and national level. It is a disservice to democracy - vote against a bill if you disagree with it, don't resort to chicanery to suppress the opposition.
As someone from MA, I'm more annoyed that they now require health insurance by law. If required car insurance is any indication, this will devolve into nothing more than a "it's against the law for us to not be taking money from you". Seriously, car insurance is at the point now where they won't cancel your insurance without prior notification that you have already bought insurance elsewhere. Yet.... you can not pay, and they cancel it then. That's almost as bad as the telecom companies that claimed the unwarrented taps were just "doing our civic duty to obey the government's request", yet they cut the taps off when the government didn't pay the bills.
I hate politics....
I too was annoyed by the mandated health insurance thing. Fortunately, these days I'm able to afford health insurance, but for many people the cost of health insurance can be beyond a person's resources. I feel bad for young folks starting out in a job market when many businesses, especially in the service industry, pay minimum wage and don't offer health insurance. I mean what options do young folks have, other than living with their parents, when the government insists on people having health insurance but will not insist on employers paying a living wage?
Wow. That is...one ugly woman.
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING LOL.....
Here I was under the false impresion that Massachusetts was a progressive state.
Ok, as a person from Massachusetts....Do we have any Developers or Game Industries in the state?
To answer your question,
There's actually game companies within Massachusetts... even the beloved Rockstar Games acquired Maddog Games to form Rockstar New England in Massachusetts.
I don't miss the messed up law of requiring health insurance... I'm glad I hopped the border to New Hampshire: supplying vices for Massachusetts residents for over 200 years. ;)
Correct me if I am wrong but... Tax breaks for gaming companies = Economic growth = More money for the state to fix their healthcare issues? And among other things. What gives?
Tax breaks = less money coming in now = more tax breaks when the companies threaten to move when the current one runs out
I wouldn't be surprised if this went through anyways. There's been a large push behind this bill from the movie industry. It passed through the house thanks to the might of the SGA and indie studios/production companies.
As a resident of Massachusetts, I've been highly dissatified with the state's polititians lately. As a 21 year old college student, I've even had issues with the health insurance bill. Health insurance companies hate dependents. They'll drop them if they can find a reason. Due to a mix up where the insurance company lost my paperwork from my college, they dropped my health coverage at the same time as Massachusetts ran a complete television and radio smear campaign against anyone that didn't have health insurance. There's nothing worse than hearing "IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. YOU'RE BREAKING THE LAW." when there's really nothing you can do.
As both a game developer (it's what I go to college for) and as a movie producer (I run a small production studio), I have a real interest in seeing this pass. Both movie and game industries would bring large ammounts of revenue to the state and striking this bill down is huge mistake. But then again, if the MA government weren't making catestrophic mistakes, it wouldn't be Massachusetts.
Massachussetts is currently the third largest state for game development (behind California and Texas). We have award-winning studios like Rockstar (GTA), Harmonix (Rock Band), 2K Games (Bioshock), and Turbine (LotR Online), and one of the largest monthly meetings of the IGDA (International Game Developer's Association) in the country. Considering how much money the game industry brings to Massachusetts, and how big the movie industry is becoming here (The Departed, anyone?) I am appalled to hear this news. Considering that these tax breaks are supported by Governor Deval Patrick, I do not see why a fellow democrat feels the need to stonewall this legislation, besides her probably buying into the age old "violent games make you violent" urban legend. As a near college graduate on the verge of setting up an independent studio here in Massachusetts, where I grew up and still live (when I'm not at school in Georgia, which, by the way, DOES have the tax breaks that are about to be stonewalled in Mass), I seriously hope she does not prevent this legislation from being passed. The voice of the people outnumbers that of one, mandatory health-care imposing liberal.
We have to tell her we want this passed!
I absolutely agree with most of the other posters. This legislation needs to be passed. I am 20 years old and currently a theater major in Ma. I chose to go to school where I grew up because of cost. One thing that has made it a little better for a theater major here in Ma. lately has been the idea of this tax break because of all the movie work coming in. It provided me the opportunity to work as a paid extra on the sets of some of the movies and gain first hand experience on what it truly means to be an actor. $112 for one day for a college student is pretty good ( = I would really like to see it become a mini hollywood east here. It will bring in revenue. This needs to be passed!
According to my opinion this is really very nice and informative post. This post really provide me lot of useful and good information.
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lauran
massachusetts drug rehab
Nintendo is indeed selling SOME of these on the Virtual Console but not even close to all of them. While i agree in part to his piracy he was filling a market that Nintendo failed to recognize. Maybe someone doesnt want to buy a Wii. maybe they just want a console with 50 - 100 NES games on them?? maybe just maybe?
but no Nintendo wants everyone araba kiralama to buy the Wii. thats their excuse but thats not what copyright is supposed to protect. i am real sure that the makers of 10 yard fight were losing sleep because they were missing out on their $0.00025 worth because they didnt get royalties from this player. *smirk*
my question is, should Super Mario Bros. be banned from public domain forever? isnt 23 years enough time for Nintendo to have made their profits?
If you have followed the Steamboat Willie case regarding Mickey Mouse you can rest in your bed well at night knowing that the MOUSE will still be under copyright law, away from public domain after your great grandchildren are in nursing homes. That is beyond ridiculous dont you think??
Gallagher can araç kiralama say all he wants, but I strongly rent a car believe it's due to his crappy leadership and E3 being a joke. ESA's Board of Directors need to find a way to get out rent a car of this horrid contract with this Bush cronie before there's no one left on the Board.
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly travesti because these guys have done nothing ttnet vitamin or little and need to start saving costs.
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from Xbox live?
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.
Thanks good job;
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly travesti because these guys have done nothing travesti or little and need to start saving costs. and dizi izle
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from Xbox live?
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.