California’s Loss of Entertainment Jobs Will Be Harder to Reverse as New Production Hubs Emerge, According to New Milken Institute Report
California’s stronghold on the entertainment industry is loosening as production jobs are lured to other locations due to production credits and other tax breaks. Between 2004 and 2012, the state lost more than 16,000 jobs in filmed production employment — a more than 10 percent drop. Meanwhile, New York, California’s main rival, added more than 10,000 such jobs. These jobs contribute to state revenues and provide sustainable incomes that result in significant local spending. In California, they are high-paying middle-class positions that pay more than $95,000 on average.