San Gabriel Valley : Council Cuts Tax for Filming in Pasadena
Michelle Pfeiffer has filmed there in the past year. So has Keanu Reeves. Seeking to entice more big-ticket Hollywood productions to Pasadena, city officials have decided to cut the tax for production crews that want to shoot in the city for more than 10 days.
Responding to filmmakers’ complaints, the City Council this week approved a plan to lower the tax for production companies that shoot for more than 10 days in school areas, open spaces and commercial zones.
Currently, each production is taxed $481 per day, an amount that has deterred some filmmakers from lengthy shoots, said Ariel Penn, the city’s film liaison.
Under the new system, a flat tax of about $4,800 will be charged to companies that film for more than 10 consecutive days. The tax will be assessed for every 30 days of shooting.
At Councilman William E. Thomson’s prompting, the council also voted to waive a $482 fee for a conditional-use permit required if filming runs longer than 15 days.
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