It's official: Wisconsin is rolling out the red carpet for filmmakers once again, giving a nod to production companies with a barrage of tax incentives. In a move inspired by a notable revenue disparity with neighboring Illinois, Governor Tony Evers inked a biennial budget bill into law, bringing tax credits back into play for film and TV production across the state. After an eight-year hiatus without these credits, the governing bodies of the Badger State are ready to reel the cameras back in.
The details of the budget were illuminated in a document early this morning in Madison, disclosing plans for a new State Film Office within the Department of Tourism to channel these initiatives. With Assembly Bill 231 and Senate Bill 231 at the centerpiece of this agenda, Wisconsin is pressing play on fostering an environment for thespians and directors alike. Meanwhile, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, who authored the underpinning Common Council legislation, underscored the jobs and financial prospects Wisconsin has forfeited by not competing in the cinematic tax credits race these past years.
In the context of competition, the numbers are telling. "Wisconsin began a film tax incentive program in 2008 which was discontinued in 2013, and we have been one of only 11 states to offer no film tax incentives and we are losing business to neighboring states that do,” Alderwoman Coggs told the City of Milwaukee official release. A glance across the border to Illinois' film production revenue chimes in with a resounding $691 million in 2022 alone. The stark contrast in film activity is equally jarring—IMDb data suggests a scorecard of 2,500 short films and TV episodes produced in Wisconsin compared to over 26,000 in Illinois.
