495 Productions was to get a $420K tax credit in exchange for producing hit MTV reality program “Jersey Shore” in the state of New Jersey back in 2009. However, legislators from both parties have balked at paying it, and now Republican Governor Chris Christie has made the withdrawal official.
Christie had taken the axe to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority program that was trying to attract production companies to the state in 2010, after the “Jersey Shore” credit had already been awarded.
In a statement, Christie said, “In this difficult fiscal climate, the taxpayers of New Jersey should not be forced to subsidize projects such as Jersey Shore.” He added, “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.”
The general dissatisfaction with the program no doubt played a large role in fueling the political ill-will toward the program. Not only were politicians dismayed by the way the state and its residents were portrayed, most of the cast was made up of New Yorkers.
The fact that NJEDA needed a tax credit to attract a program named “Jersey Shore” was also questioned – however, that turns out to perhaps have been a legitimate concern, since according to reports, the latest season of the program is coming from Italy.
