Credits may roll for NM film subsidy

When it comes to New Mexico’s film industry, state legislators are tough critics.
Gov. Susana Martinez said in her State of the State speech Jan. 18 that she supports reducing the state’s film subsidy from 25 to 15 percent. She said New Mexicans cover 25 percent of costs when a film is made in the state.

“In these tough times, when New Mexicans are facing a historic budget deficit, I cannot support subsidizing the expense of Hollywood by cutting programs like child care services for working moms,” Martinez said.

Rep. Dennis J. Kintigh (R-Roswell) introduced HB 19 on Jan. 27, a bill that proposes ending tax incentives for film production altogether.

UNM film lecturer Bryan Konefsky said Martinez is interested in destroying a vital state industry former Gov. Bill Richardson helped develop.

“New Mexico has gone from Gov. Richardson, who was an international diplomat, to a provincial know-nothing,” he said. “She is so clueless. All she is interested in doing is a tit-for-tat. If a Democrat did it, I am going to destroy it.”

Konefsky said he came back to New Mexico in 1991 because of film opportunities. He said eliminating the tax incentives is greedy.
“I saw it in its earliest stages, and I have seen it grow into something that is quite remarkable,” Konefsky said.

Film student Roman Arrellin said film industry tax returns have created jobs in Albuquerque.

“The thing is, this tax incentive is what is drawing these film production companies to New Mexico,” he said. “If they take away those incentives, they are going to be less inclined to come film here. There are other cities that would offer that.”

Arrellin said film students would have fewer opportunities in New Mexico if legislators passed HB 19.

“There would be less opportunity for people like me to have a job in the industry,” he said. “It is half what you know and half who you know. Experience in the industry, it definitely helps you.”