Sixty years ago, Republican Kim Sigler, a dandy dresser who was a flamboyant corruption fighter before his brief but colorful two years as governor, was known as "Hollywood Kim."
Now into her sixth year as governor, Democrat Jennifer Granholm could be dubbed "Hollywood Jen" -- not for show-boating or because she once had acting ambitions, but rather for having touted and just signed into law what she calls "the most aggressive film incentive program in the nation, which will result in more films being shot on location in Michigan."
It undoubtedly will lure film and TV productions. They can get whopping tax rebates worth up to 42 percent of production costs in Michigan.
It's no wonder that the Michigan Film Office, which averages six scripts from companies interested in filming here, had nearly 80 scripts under review as the program advanced in the Legislature.
Critics of the program brand it as a taxpayer subsidy for Hollywood moguls. The Senate Fiscal Agency, a straight-arrow outfit that offers independent analysis regardless of who controls the chamber (Republicans do now) says the net effect of the incentives could result in a decline in tax revenues.
But Granholm and a bipartisan band of legislative supporters -- including Republicans from northern Michigan -- argue convincingly that there is long-term economic benefit, including promoting the state's tourist attractions. As she said in a statewide radio address:
"The film industry is a strategic growth industry for Michigan. It is the second largest high-tech, high-paying, non-polluting industry in the world. It generates over $50 billion in direct domestic economic activity each year."
(Ever the cheerleader, Granholm said Friday in signing a $60 million bipartisan Michigan Promotion Program: "We are putting into place the most aggressive marketing of Michigan we have ever seen. This unprecedented investment will allow us to promote our state in new markets and trumpet to a whole new audience what we already know -- that Michigan is a great vacation destination and a great place to do business.")
Granholm noted that Louisiana's film incentives grew film industry spending from $7 million to almost $350 million there, supporting nearly 19,000 jobs. New Mexico went from $1.5 million to $476 within two years.
"Michigan," she said, "is no stranger to movie-making." She cited such films as the 1992 "Hoffa" and the 1980 "Somewhere in Time," starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour (filmed on Mackinac Island, as was the 1947 "This Time for Keeps," starring Esther Williams and Jimmy Durante).
In 1959, the year of Granholm's birth, there was the release of "Anatomy of A Murder," filmed in the Upper Peninsula and based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Ishpeming author John Voelker (a 1957-59 justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, who quit the bench because "I cannot serve two masters" -- law and literature). The movie starred Jimmy Stewart, George C. Scott and Lee Remick.
Having covered the filming of the movie as a rookie UPI reporter, I can attest as a consumer that such productions spur spending in inns, eateries and bars.
A far more authoritative source on the economic impact is Traverse City-based filmmaker Rich Brauer, who has been in the business for 31 years and has directed five feature films. As film director for the 2000 production of Michigan actor Jeff Daniels' "Escanaba in da Moonlight," Brauer estimated that up to 80 local folks were employed in the project.
Last year, Brauer filmed "Mr. Art Critic" on Mackinac Island, which is growing as a mecca for moviemakers.
Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, whose district includes the island, and Rep. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, say that movies made in northern Michigan help spur Up North tourism.
Not all filming has been, or will be, flattering to Michigan. Consider the 1984 "Beverly Hills Cop" comedy that had scenes of the dregs of Detroit.
Casperson, vice-chair of the House Tourism-Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee, said "significant activity" by filmmakers is contemplated in the Upper Peninsula.
Allen, chairman of the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee and champion of the film package, sponsored one of the bills in the tourism/business package signed by Granholm, as did Sen. Tony Stamas, R-Midland.
"For every dollar we invest in this sensible approach, industry advocates say the state receives $2 to $3 in return," said Allen, who notes at least 75 percent of the funding goes directly to tourism promotion.
Last week, amid all the hype, a report by Michigan State University researchers brought a sober note. It estimated that the number of travelers will drop by 2 percent this year and spending likely will be flat. Revenue projections were down 5 percent for the Upper Peninsula and 4 percent for the northern Lower Peninsula.
Denise Gurnack of the Marquette County Convention and Visitors Bureau told the Mining Journal it usually projects about a 5 percent annual increase. But, "with gas prices and the economy the way it is," it is projecting the same revenues as last year.
Congressional Trails
Democrats have targeted the seats of U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, and Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills. The principal Democratic challengers are extremely competitive in fundraising in the latest reporting period -- gathering $894,726 against freshman Walberg and $750,162 against eight-term Knollenberg.
Not so in GOP targeting of eight-term Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, who has raised $750,539, while state Rep. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, raised an anemic $53,345. (That, however, at this early stage is about $40,000 more than the entire amount GOP nominees raised against Stupak in four of his re-election races.)
Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis says Stupak is vulnerable and Casperson, who defeated Stupak's wife Laurie to win the state House seat in 2002, has a good shot if he can become better known in the sprawling 31-county congressional district.
"It falls on me...to get it done on the ground," said Casperson, who said he is getting commitments from some individual lawmakers in Washington, but has to convince the National Republican Congressional Committee that he "can make a race out of this."
In that pursuit, he said, "I put 1,400 miles on my car (a 2000 Chrysler 300M showing about 153,000 miles) in one week below the bridge."
Casperson, owner of a trucking business, acknowledges that the NRCC's Michigan priority is to keep the Knollenberg and Walberg seats. He said: "There's no guarantee it will cut me a check. ...I'm not expecting much."
Stupak, meanwhile, had to curtail travel because of scheduled surgery Friday to clean out a deteriorating knee joint. He said he planned to preside at an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing Tuesday "and plan to resume a district travel schedule next weekend."
George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features
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