The tax credits in Assembly bill 1069 are supposed to persuade movie and TV producers to keep their operations in California. Supporters say more than 40 other states provide similar incentives to lure movie production and the high paying jobs that go with it to their communities. They say previous movie tax credits have generated billions of dollars and saved thousands of jobs in our state.

But that's hard to prove.  After all, California is home to Hollywood. Movie makers are here  to take advantage of benefits only this state can offer: a huge pool of experienced talent, big sound stages, a moderate climate and technological know-how. Critics - and I'm one - say tax credits serve to reward movie makers for doing what they were going to do anyway. Make movies in California.

Even the scaled back bill would cost California a hundred million dollars at a time the state is having trouble paying its bills. We can't afford it. Still, one provision of the bill does make sense. It would require an independent study to assess the benefits, if any, movie tax credits provide to the state. Shouldn't we know that before we give movie makers another tax break.

Ginger Rutland writes for The Sacramento Bee opinion pages.