The drama surrounding the state’s film office will continue today as the Iowa Motion Picture Association plans a news conference to discuss what’s happened over the weekend. The head of the Iowa Film Office was placed on paid administrative leave last week. His boss resigned abruptly late Friday.
A memo written last week by the now-former head of the Iowa Department of Economic Development outlined major “irregularities” in the state’s tax credit program for movie makers. A computer program specifically created so film office manager Tom Wheeler could monitor the program was never used.
An outside auditor found what records were kept were woefully inadequate. The Iowa Motion Picture Association and others who’re involved in the film industry will hold a news conference this afternoon to urge Governor Culver to restart the state’s tax credit program for filmmakers. The governor ordered the program suspended late Friday.
Mike Tramontina, the man who resigned from his job as head of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, was scheduled to be in Waterloo at noon today to tout a state program that helps build new apartments to replace apartments that were damaged during the flood.