Written by new-contact on Sep 30, 2011. Posted in Incentive News

New Jersey Governor refuses location filming tax credit for MTV's Jersey Shore

If the Governor of New Jersey has his way, MTV’s ‘reality’ show Jersey Shore won’t be receiving the filming tax credits it’s eligible for. Governor Chris Christie has blocked the USD420,000 the show can claim for filming in the state, saying he’s concerned about the show's image.

Jersey Shore follows a group of young Italian-Americans as they party and generally cause havoc in one of New Jersey’s seaside communities. The New Jersey State-Ledger has been vocal in encouraging Governor Christie to change his mind, not through any support for the show but because it suggests the state will be vulnerable in a lawsuit if MTV chooses to sue.

As chief executive I am duty-bound to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a USD420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens.

Governor Chris Christie

Other media outlets have accused the Governor of stepping towards content censorship by refusing the financial support. Governor Christie issued a statement explaining his position: “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 USD420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens.”

The issue of whether certain projects should be refused access to location filming incentives is a controversial one. Many states - both inside and outside the US - have an application process designed to identify projects considered less savoury, but in places where regulations are less specific, visiting producers could find the law is on their side.