New Jersey Governor Chris Christie blocked a $420,000 tax credit awarded to the MTV reality show, Jersey Shore.
The New York Times reported Christie wrote to to Caren S. Franzini, the chief executive of the Economic Development Authority, saying “In this difficult fiscal climate, the taxpayers of New Jersey should not be forced to subsidize projects such as Jersey Shore.”
The credit was part of a group of tax credit applications approved by the state’s Economic Development Authority since the program’s suspension in 2010 due to budget deficits. New Jersey is among a group of states that curtailed, suspended, or eliminated their film tax credit programs over the past year.
The tax credit is for Jersey Shore’s 2009 inaugural season, which was filmed in Seaside Heights. While the show has faced criticism from legislators and Italian-American advocacy groups, local officials have generally supported it and the tourism is brings to the area.
