16th District State Senator Joseph Bellino on Thursday introduced six bills aimed at dismantling Michigan’s film office and restructuring the state’s economic development efforts.
Bellino said the legislation is aimed at ending what he calls “failed policies of corporate handouts and ineffective agencies.”
The legislation would redirect funding from the 21st Century Jobs Fund to the general fund and eliminate the Michigan Film and Digital Media Office, along with film tax credits currently in four state laws.
The legislation forms part of a 53-bill package to eliminate several programs and establish a new Bureau of Fair Competition and Free Enterprise within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The bureau would oversee existing obligations and support ongoing initiatives like brownfield redevelopment and renaissance zones, with new projects limited to $50 million and 15 years.
The package also proposes creating an independent office to monitor ethical conduct and prevent waste.
Supporters of the Michigan Film Office say the agency and its incentives represent an economic advantage for the state by creating jobs and helping retain talent.