ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

March 13, 2009

As legislators in Texas consider expanding financial incentives for game developers and other producers of entertainment media, ESA boss Michael Gallagher weighs in with an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman:

With over 90 development companies in Texas, the video game industry accounted for more than one-third of the moving media industry's $345 million investment in the state in 2007. In addition to the more than 7,500 jobs that the industry currently supports in Texas, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts found in a recent report that video games "have a ripple-effect and spread technological innovations to other industries..."

The opportunity now falls on the Texas state legislature, however, to pass the bills that will keep the industry's momentum in the Lone Star State going. Texas currently risks falling behind several states in economic incentive programs for the entertainment industry. This year alone, thirteen states are actively considering legislation that will either create or significantly expand their existing incentive program for digital interactive media development and production...

While economic incentives for the video game industry are a sound investment for Texas' cultural legacy, they are an even better investment for the people of Texas.

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Comments

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by Neo_DrKefka on Sun, 03/15/2009 - 05:03.

Texas a great place to raise a family, only problem is the Southern Border where no one wants to do anything about the Mexican Drug Cartels because they are afraid of looking racist and offending the Mexican voting population.

Keep in mind Texas is not a Democratic Party Controlled state so vast unemployment and businesses leaving going overseas doesn't happen that much at all in Texas. Plus it’s not Union control which means nothing is going out of state or overseas so yeah great place to live. Plus unlike Democratic Controlled states where if you have someone trying to attack you, you have the right to arm yourself and if they break into your house, you have the right to defend your family not waiting 30 minutes for the police to arrive.

Everyone there is friendly and very welcoming and the only taxes you have to worry about being raised is the Federal taxes when the Democratic Party is in control of the Federal Government. Great place to live and like most Republican controlled states they are doing well in a recession.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by Firebird on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 14:42.

Makes me glad I live in mid-East Texas, away enough from the southern border drug wars, hurricanes, and big city sleaze (I am looking at you Austin, Houston and Dallas)

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Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:22.

Double post edit... my bad.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:21.

I think they'll get a bigger tax break in a state like Texas.

I'm curious as to what the rules are for companies outsourcing jobs to other countries. I believe it would be fair to add a stipulation saying only companies that employ individuals in this country or even the state of Texas can apply for the tax break.

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 15:37.

For most of the tax breaks around the country, they have to have a certain percentage of employees who are residents of the state. I think in Texas it is 50% of the Work force has to be located in Texas.

E. Zachary Knight

E. Zachary Knight
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Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by TJLK on Sat, 03/14/2009 - 11:12.

50% has to be in Texas, but what about the other 50%, do they at least have to be in the United States?

Re: ESA Lobbies for Bigger Tax Breaks in Texas

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 09:43.

Don't push your luck ESA, your lucky any goverment would give you a tax break.

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DorthLous: Anybody tried Hiversaire? Thoughts?05/22/2013 - 5:48pm

E. Zachary Knight: New Humble Bundle Weekly Sale. Alan Wake: https://www.humblebundle.com/weekly No Linux or Mac support. :(05/22/2013 - 1:46pm

E. Zachary Knight: Microsoft talks about the lack of backward compatability. You're backwards. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192801/If_youre_backwards_compatible_youre_really_backwards.php05/22/2013 - 1:39pm

E. Zachary Knight: That is absolutely nuts there. As bad an experience XBox Indie Games was, the problems weren't with the self published side of things. Forcing a publisher onto independent studios is not going to help.05/22/2013 - 10:43am

MaskedPixelante: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-22-microsoft-wont-let-indies-self-publish-on-xbox-one And the hits just keep on coming.05/22/2013 - 9:20am

E. Zachary Knight: AE: You beat me to it. That's what I get for taking the night off.05/22/2013 - 7:40am

E. Zachary Knight: To continue the confused and convoluted messaging system present in EA, They are making Wii U games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192753/EA_is_working_on_Wii_U_games_after_all.php05/22/2013 - 7:33am

Imautobot: I gotta admit, I seriously believed Microsoft was going to "Bring It" with this new console. But they failed, and I think that failure might be Epic.05/22/2013 - 7:27am

Andrew Eisen: Well, the Xbox One reveal certainly had an interesting affect on the big 3's stock prices. https://twitter.com/AndrewEisen/status/33705126448977100805/21/2013 - 10:45pm

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/so-the-xbox-one-reveal-screwed-up-a-lot-of-peoples-kin-509179256 So The Xbox One Reveal Screwed With Some People's Kinects05/21/2013 - 10:36pm

Zen: On a funny side note...both of my boys have already voted NOT to get the Xbox One as soon as they found out Minecraft won't transfer lol. Some people have priorities damnit! ;)05/21/2013 - 9:27pm

Andrew Eisen: Here's the full quote on EA making Wii U games according to Neogaf: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56112105/21/2013 - 8:19pm

Andrew Eisen: Xbox One may not be always on but that doesn't mean you can use it without an internet connection. http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-50916410905/21/2013 - 7:39pm

Andrew Eisen: Polygon says EA's CFO says it is developing games for Wii U but doesn't provide that quote. http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4351844/ea-developing-wii-u-games05/21/2013 - 7:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, I was right. Both Sony and Microsoft's consoles will be out by the year's end and both will be significantly more powerful than the current gen.05/21/2013 - 5:06pm

james_fudge: thnx05/21/2013 - 4:47pm

Zen: Just to let ya know...you called it the "Xbox 260" in the backwards compatibility article lol.05/21/2013 - 4:26pm

Zen: @PHX Awesome, I will hit those up after class tonight. Going back to college finally! :) My kids have had a blast telling ME to do my homework now lol.05/21/2013 - 4:19pm

PHX Corp: @Zen I sent you a friend request on both PSN and XBL, just a heads up05/21/2013 - 4:16pm

Zen: I noticed it with the football players when EA showed off Madden as well.05/21/2013 - 4:11pm

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