ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

March 13, 2009

As legislators in Texas consider expanding financial incentives for game developers and other producers of entertainment media, ESA boss Michael Gallagher weighs in with an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman:

With over 90 development companies in Texas, the video game industry accounted for more than one-third of the moving media industry's $345 million investment in the state in 2007. In addition to the more than 7,500 jobs that the industry currently supports in Texas, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts found in a recent report that video games "have a ripple-effect and spread technological innovations to other industries..."

The opportunity now falls on the Texas state legislature, however, to pass the bills that will keep the industry's momentum in the Lone Star State going. Texas currently risks falling behind several states in economic incentive programs for the entertainment industry. This year alone, thirteen states are actively considering legislation that will either create or significantly expand their existing incentive program for digital interactive media development and production...

While economic incentives for the video game industry are a sound investment for Texas' cultural legacy, they are an even better investment for the people of Texas.

Posted in

Comments

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by Neo_DrKefka on Sun, 03/15/2009 - 05:03.

Texas a great place to raise a family, only problem is the Southern Border where no one wants to do anything about the Mexican Drug Cartels because they are afraid of looking racist and offending the Mexican voting population.

Keep in mind Texas is not a Democratic Party Controlled state so vast unemployment and businesses leaving going overseas doesn't happen that much at all in Texas. Plus it’s not Union control which means nothing is going out of state or overseas so yeah great place to live. Plus unlike Democratic Controlled states where if you have someone trying to attack you, you have the right to arm yourself and if they break into your house, you have the right to defend your family not waiting 30 minutes for the police to arrive.

Everyone there is friendly and very welcoming and the only taxes you have to worry about being raised is the Federal taxes when the Democratic Party is in control of the Federal Government. Great place to live and like most Republican controlled states they are doing well in a recession.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by Firebird on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 14:42.

Makes me glad I live in mid-East Texas, away enough from the southern border drug wars, hurricanes, and big city sleaze (I am looking at you Austin, Houston and Dallas)

______________________________ Because I have NO Life... :P I introduce the following. PSN User ID: FirebirdXR (Yes, I use that moniker often) Xbox Live ID: FirebirdLR (Don't bother, It's a Silver Membership) *Limited Time Only* I put both because I

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:22.

Double post edit... my bad.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:21.

I think they'll get a bigger tax break in a state like Texas.

I'm curious as to what the rules are for companies outsourcing jobs to other countries. I believe it would be fair to add a stipulation saying only companies that employ individuals in this country or even the state of Texas can apply for the tax break.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 15:37.

For most of the tax breaks around the country, they have to have a certain percentage of employees who are residents of the state. I think in Texas it is 50% of the Work force has to be located in Texas.

E. Zachary Knight

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 11:12.

50% has to be in Texas, but what about the other 50%, do they at least have to be in the United States?

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 09:43.

Don't push your luck ESA, your lucky any goverment would give you a tax break.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Shout box

BearDogg-X: Not game related, but found it interesting: http://www.upworthy.com/the-real-reason-they-still-play-mrs-robinson-on-the-radio?g=2&c=mrp1 - 90% of the music/TV/news media in USA owned by 6 companies.05/20/2013 - 2:38pm

BearDogg-X: @PHX Corp: It's like they're just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks at this point.05/20/2013 - 12:15pm

Kajex: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/05/20/neverwinter-money-making-exploit-sees-cryptic-turn-back-time/ My understanding is that none of this was illegal, either.05/20/2013 - 11:42am

PHX Corp: http://www.gamezone.com/news/2013/05/20/violent-video-games-are-bad-for-your-body Most rediclous Study about violent video games ever05/20/2013 - 10:13am

Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

All shouts

<< Return To Top

Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :