Christie vetoes $420,000 tax break for MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’

From today’s News Journal:

On Monday, Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a large tax credit for the company responsible for “Jersey Shore,” an MTV reality series set in the oceanfront borough of Seaside Heights.

“I have no interest in policing the content of such projects; however, as Chief Executive I am duty-bound to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a $420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the State and its citizens,” Christie said in a letter to the Economic Development Authority, which granted the credit during a Sept. 14 meeting.

Officially, Christie vetoed the minutes of the meeting, which nullified the actions taken.

Christie cited his long-standing opposition to an expansion of the state’s film tax credit program as part of his reasoning for the veto; he has said the tax program’s economic benefits are minimal.

This is the problem with these state tax credit programs – taxpayers could end up supporting a project that reflects poorly on the state.   Nice work Gov. Christie!

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