This little item didn't make headlines in California, but it should have.  You see, the Hollywood types have been crying, albeit quietly, about the cost of making movies in California.  The implied threat was that they'd pack up and move elsewhere.  This, of course, would have caused considerable damage to the state and local economies, leading to greater unemployment and a smaller tax base.

Enter State Senator Ron Calderon of Montebello. He sponsored legislation that offered tax incentives (tax breaks) to Hollywood in order to keep them in California and keep thousands, if not millions of Californians employed and keep a wide tax base.  What's amazing about this is that he actually got the Bill passed and signed into law. That's the first time in 14 years that the State Legislature has passed any tax cuts for big business.  Here's what Senator Calderon had to say about the whole thing, according to a press release posted on his Senate Website.

“This isn’t a gift to Hollywood,” said Calderon.  “It’s a gift to the state because it means more jobs for electricians, grips, carpenters, camera operators, drivers, make-up artists, and caterers, and more spending at thousands of small businesses throughout the state More important, this can be the start of reversing a stampede of film makers who choose other states. The exodus stops now!”

Now you may ask how a lone Republican was actually able to convince the Democrat controlled California Legislature to give tax breaks to any big business in order to keep them around. For one thing, it was probably an easier sell since the Democrats and Hollywood are pretty tight.  The other thing is that Senator Calderon is a Democrat.  But it appears he understands that Republican ideals do work.

Not only did he get these tax breaks passed, he's also introduced a Bill to curb environmental demands that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is pushing upon gas station owners and creating severe financial hardships for these small businesses.  Most liberals would say "Too bad, so sad" to the families that run these stations. However, Senator Calderon seems to get it, at least as far as these two incidents are concerned.

What remains to be seen is if the rest of the Democrats in the California Legislature will do the same for other big businesses to keep them in California, or will this truly turn out to be a gift just to Hollywood?  Perhaps that's why there wasn't much fanfare about the deal.  The Democrats may not have wanted anyone to know that tax breaks work.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will point out that I went to high school with Sen. Ron Calderon.  He was a very likable guy back then and I have no reason to doubt he still is.  I don't recall having any ideological discussions with him back then either, and I haven't really spoken to him recently except to say hello a couple of years back when I returned to California.  And, I am not one of his constituents.  I certainly wish him the best, especially if he continues down this conservative path.