Advocates Urge Focus on Nevada’s Needs as Lawmakers Weigh Hollywood Handouts

CARSON CITY, NV - As Nevada’s special session begins today, advocates are raising serious concerns about the proposed film tax credits, urging lawmakers to reject Hollywood handouts and instead focus on providing real support for Nevadans struggling with rising healthcare costs, SNAP benefits, and other essential needs.

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Amber Falgout, Communications Director of Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement:

“Special sessions are usually held to address emergencies. SNAP funding being cut off by the current regime in an effort to use hunger as a weapon certainly qualifies as an emergency. Sadly, we are not here just for that; we are here because our current Governor is more focused on passing his misguided agenda than on how we fund SNAP, lower prices, or improve the quality of life. I hope that this session is not about Hollywood handouts. Transferring wealth from the bottom to the top is not our ticket to a better tomorrow. It is a one-way ticket to more inequality.”

Blaine Harper, Member, AFSCME Local 4041, issued the following statement:

“We demand state legislators invest in Nevadans and the public services that make our communities stronger; not in corporate Hollywood. Don’t fund Hollywood studios on the backs of state workers or at the expense of public services. When the state needs to tighten its budget, state workers are always the ones being asked to make sacrifices. We’re already doing so much to keep our communities healthy and strong, while state jobs continue to remain vacant and public services continue to be defunded by the federal government.”

Olivia Tanager, Executive Director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, issued the following statement:

“When you can’t afford your power bill, it doesn’t matter if a movie with actors making multimillion-dollar salaries is being filmed miles away. When you’re breathing wildfire smoke, a new soundstage doesn’t make your air cleaner. When the Colorado River keeps shrinking, no film tax credit will refill Lake Mead. Let’s invest in clean energy, in public transit, in wildfire prevention, in water security — in the people who actually make this state work. Because when we invest in Nevadans, we invest in a future that’s fair, sustainable, and strong. We don’t need spotlights on the elite. We don’t need special sessions for subsidies. We need real solutions.”

Alexander Marks, Deputy Executive Director of the Nevada State Education Association, issued the following statement:

“This special session is Joe Lombardo’s 'Let Them Eat Popcorn' moment. In Washington, Americans see their leaders focused on building ballrooms. In Nevada, they see their leaders focused on building movie studios. That’s what misguided priorities look like. This isn’t a session for Nevadans, it’s a session at their expense. This isn’t a special session to fix our schools. This isn’t a special session to shrink our overcrowded class sizes or to make sure every student has a meal. This isn’t a special session to raise stagnant educator pay or to protect families when things get tough. No, this is a special session to fund Hollywood.”

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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media.