Lights. Cameras. Taxes.
The Bloomberg administration is making a bet that TV shows that have been filmed in the city for at least five years will stay put even if their 5 percent city tax incentives are canceled.
A new bill backed by the mayor would take away the tax break for long-running programs, like “Law & Order,” that are so deeply rooted in the Big Apple that no backdrop other than New York would do.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), would also cut from 5 percent to 4 percent the break that all other shows filmed here are given.
The bill would not affect the 30 percent state tax break producers get for filming anywhere in the state.
The overall effect would give long-running New York City productions a 30 percent break, while others would get 34 percent.
“One thing about [the bill] is that we’re not including those [shows] that would be filming here anyway,” one City Hall source said.
But critics insist any cuts in tax incentives would hurt New York’s TV and film business.
“For every ‘Law & Order’ or ‘Saturday Night Live,’ I can name you 10 or 12 shows that come here specifically for the incentives,” said Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Queens), author of a competing bill that would triple city tax incentives.
“That logic fundamentally fails to understand the transient nature of production.”
The state has the right to decide how big the city’s tax break should be.
The state has promised to continue its 30 percent incentive at least until next year — when a $350 million law passed in April runs out.
Lawmakers have credited the breaks for bringing productions of hit shows like “Ugly Betty” and movies like Jennifer Aniston’s upcoming “The Baster” to the streets of the city.
Gianaris’ bill calls for the city’s incentive to triple to 15 percent. However, Gianaris said he’d accept the status quo.
“I’m hopeful this will be resolved by the end the month,” he said. “A straight extension of the existing program . . . would at least give us some time to find a permanent solution.”