Karen Bass Backs ‘No Cap’ California Production Tax Credit: ‘We Must Hold Nothing Back in Our Fight’

Mayor Karen Bass voiced her support for a “no cap” state credit and for a federal film and television tax credit, noting there was a “global battle for entertainment jobs” in a campaign statement on Friday.

“We must hold nothing back in our fight,” the Los Angeles mayor said in her evening message. “This is about an industry that is essential to our middle class and who we are as a city.”

Bass, whose stance mirrored her political rival Councilwoman Nithya Raman, also weighed in on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, sharing she opposed the deal unless it avoided job cuts. 

“I cannot support a deal that results in massive job losses,” she continued. “I urge federal regulators to enforce job protections and creative freedom during the approval process, and I call on Paramount’s leadership to redouble its commitment to the industry workers in our city.”

In response to Bass’ statement, a spokesperson for Paramount told TheWrap, “We welcome the Mayor’s support for increased tax incentives to reverse the losses of production out of California. Further, this transaction will drive more content creation, more filming, and more high-quality jobs across Los Angeles and California by combining complementary strengths to invest at greater scale in storytelling, production, and creative talent. We welcome all efforts that support our commitments: increase output, expand opportunities for creators and crews, and strengthen LA’s entertainment economy by ensuring the city remains the global epicenter of film, television, and creative innovation.”

Bass is positioning herself as a champion of Hollywood, highlighting her role in penning California’s first film and television tax credit legislation. Per the mayor’s office, Bass “has used her authority to focus on streamlining city processes and delivering excellent customer service so that creators and crews can do what they do best — in the city that does it best.”

Specifically, Bass’ camp touted her new pilot program which is meant to support film productions of all sizes in the city, as it provides a 20% discount on LADOT-owned parking lots citywide — given the cost to park equipment, trucks and more can be a significant barrier for many productions.

Nonetheless, Bass’ statement comes amid a tough re-election fight ahead of the June 2 polls. Namely, Raman and Republican candidate (and former reality TV star) Spencer Pratt have emerged as contenders in the closely watched mayoral race.

As we previously reported, the incumbent has trailed her competitors in fundraising for this year, raising $494,734 to date since January. Pratt and Raman, on the other hand, have raised over $530,000 each for their campaigns, according to data from the Los Angeles Ethics Commission.

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