“October Officer” (photo courtesy of Chad)

The AJC reports that the film industry will bring in an estimated $1.3 billion into the state this year, thanks in large part to a our relatively new tax breaks that provide up to 30% tax credits to film companies.

And business-friendly Decatur has become a model of efficiency in getting permits approved and coordinating with the police and fire department to close streets, etc.  The AJC has this testimonial from a veteran location scout, Mark Cortell, who worked on “Mean Girls 2″, which filmed in Decatur over the summer.

“They’ll tell you yes or no,” Cottrell said of the city. “If they say no you can move on. You know where you stand.”

Decatur posts filming rules on the city website and usually requires a production company to obtain just one permit, though it has to work out street closures with the police, said Katie Abel, city special events coordinator. The city has issued 14 permits this year for feature films, TV movies and commercials.

There’s certainly little shock-value in learning that Decatur is going to great lengths to create a smooth process for film companies, so I’m not gonna really pursue that line of discussion.

However, I do think it’s interesting that we get this concrete example of tax cuts benefiting the state economy on the same day it’s announced that Gov-Elect Nathan Deal announced that he favors cutting corporate taxes once he’s in office.

“Whether we like it or not, corporate taxes are a factor in businesses deciding where they’re going to locate, whether they’re going to expand,” he said. “These are jobs that hang in the balance depending on what direction we take.”

Deal was not concerned by comments from several tax council members last week implying that cuts to the corporate income tax would have little effect on job creation.

Which again raises the age-old question: Do tax cuts spur job growth or eliminate vital services?

If there was a blanket answer, which only I knew the answer to, I’d start my own country!

Emily writes in…

The Decatur High School band has grown to be exceptional under the direction of Megan Williams, who joined DHS faculty last year. The holiday concert last year was great, and the fall concert this year was even better. The 2010 holiday concert is tomorrow night, Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in the new auditorium.

If the community needs a taste of the great work that CSD is doing with our children, then attending the holiday band concert would be a good way to do that and also may get the community into the holiday spirit!

Decatur Planning Director Amanda Thompson brought this to the attention of the city commission on Monday night and I asked her to forward me the details so I could share with the online world.

Downtown Decatur was placed on the National Register of Historic Places this October and the Cakes & Ale build out along Church Street will be the first local business to reap the benefits.  Here are the cold hard facts:

Cakes and Ale is a case study of a city, property owner, business owner, and the state and federal government working together to preserve an important part of the historic square and establishing a new business that will bring diners and dollars to Decatur.

1) Federal preservation tax credits equaling 20 % of renovation costs (no cap) will be captured by the property owner.

2) State preservation tax credits(25% with a cap of $300K) and a 8 ½ year property tax freeze will be captured by the property owners and the value will be given to the business owner for the build out costs.

3) A low interest loan from the GA Cities Foundation will be acquired by the Decatur DDA on behalf of the business owners to help purchase the equipment for the restaurant and fund some of the build out.

4) Federal program allowing the tax credit of equipment purchase will be utilized by the property owners. The end result of this program is that the equipment will cost them less than 50% of the original cost.

The initial demolition of non-historic interiors has uncovered an old wall advertisement for Mrs. Teeles Bakery and Alberts Real Estate. The original wood floors in two of the spaces are in good enough condition that they can be saved and restored.

In related news, the MAK District is currently applying to the State Preservation Office for a similar listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  MAK was Decatur’s first local historic district, but it isn’t currently listed with the NRHP.