Photo courtesy of Viacom Entertainment Group

Spotlight on Texas Entertainment Industries, Rural Areas

Around 400 companies in the film and video game industries contributed more than $7 billion to the state’s economy in 2022. State tax incentives and grant programs play a role in attracting their business, ensuring they hire Texans and buy Texas goods and services. This past regular session, the Legislature provided additional significant funding support.

Deciding on where funding goes is not always easy with many competing priorities. For programs dedicated to supporting rural areas, even knowing which area qualifies can be a challenge. Defining rurality can turn into a philosophical challenge as much as a technical one.

We explore these topics in this month’s issue of Fiscal Notes.