It looks like New Jersey’s taxpayers are doing more than hosting the tan-happy cast of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” – they’re picking up their bar-tab, too. The show has been awarded $420,000 under a state film tax credit approved Wednesday by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority — a move that’s angering some lawmakers who’ve been critical of the tax credit, which pays 20 percent to production companies for their expenses in New Jersey. “I can’t believe we are paying for fake tanning for Snooki and The Situation,” said assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, “and I am not even sure $420,000 covers that.”
Others have called for Gov. Chris Christie to veto the payment because they view the show as supporting negative stereotypes and promoting illegal behavior. “It is disparaging to Italian Americans. He should veto it, ” said state Sen. Joe Vitale, D-Middlesex, who approves of the tax credit but has been pushing MTV to pull “Jersey Shore” off the air since its inaugural season.
Christie has admitted he’s not a fan of the show, but begging him to veto the payment may not do any good. “The Governor cannot veto EDA action that is in compliance with non-discretionary, existing law,” said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak, going on to explain that the state can’t reject applications for the film tax credit based on content. He said Christie isn’t in favor of the tax credit, but it was already “in the pipeline” as one of many applications sumbitted under the previous administration.
