Incentives

Governor Doyle signed into law a very limited, new refundable credit for the film, television and video game industries. The overall provisions are as follows:

• Fully refundable tax credit - capped at $500,000 per year in total expenditures
  
• 25 percent credit on the salaries and wages paid to Wisconsin residents making $250,000 on the project or less. Salaries and wages to nonresidents are not included.
  
• 25 percent credit on Wisconsin production expenditure purchased in Wisconsin
  
• 15 percent credit on film production company investments
  
• 35 percent of the project's total budget must be spent in Wisconsin to qualify.
  
• Existing film and video game-related companies that wish to expand the state are eligible for the tax incentives under the company investment credit.
  
• Establishes application fees
  
• Lowers the threshold for an accredited production from $100,000 to $50,000
  
• Extend the eligible timeline for video game projects from 12 to 36 months.
  
• The proposal eliminates the non-refundable sales tax exemption that existed in previous law.

Production