Los Angeles Councilwoman Nithya Raman called on candidates for governor on Friday to back uncapped tax incentives for film and television production as Hollywood continues to struggle with a steep decline in work. Speaking outside Radford Studios with entertainment figures supporting her mayoral campaign, including Mike Schur, Cord Jefferson and Kay Cannon, Raman said the city must protect Hollywood as a path to middle-class jobs for Angelenos.
The issue of falling production has become a major theme in the races for both mayor and governor. Mayor Karen Bass has also pushed for uncapped state tax credits, reduced city location fees in recent months and gained support from three below-the-line Hollywood unions. Raman’s remarks came in the final days before the Tuesday election, as candidates continue to compete over how aggressively they would respond to the industry downturn.
Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt has sharply criticized Bass and other rivals, accusing them of failing to do enough to protect entertainment jobs. On Friday, Pratt posted on X that Hollywood’s decline began immediately after Bass took office and warned that another four years would further damage the city’s entertainment economy. His comments have added to the increasingly heated political debate over the future of Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Among the top gubernatorial contenders, only Republican Steve Hilton has explicitly called for unlimited state tax incentives for Hollywood productions. Xavier Becerra, the leading Democrat in most polls, has said he would expand the state’s $750 million program but has not committed to removing the cap. Last week, Becerra said he would hold an entertainment summit early in his administration to gather input from industry stakeholders. Tom Steyer has also pledged to expand the program, but has not endorsed an uncapped credit.
Other candidates have taken more aggressive positions. Matt Mahan and Antonio Villaraigosa have both said they would eliminate the cap entirely, although neither has explained how much that would cost. Raman herself has not endorsed any candidate in the governor’s race.
The state’s current $750 million tax incentive is scheduled to expire in 2030, and Raman urged candidates to seek an early extension to give the industry greater stability. She argued that long-term certainty is necessary if California wants to keep production from moving elsewhere.
Raman also criticized Pratt for posting campaign videos made with artificial intelligence, saying voters who care about Los Angeles and about keeping Hollywood in the city should avoid a candidate who relies on AI-generated content as a main form of communication on these issues. The comment touched on a sensitive topic in the entertainment industry, where AI remains a major concern for workers and creatives.
In addition, Raman addressed a report that her campaign had contacted Rae Huang, a candidate to her left, to encourage her to withdraw and help consolidate the Democratic Socialist vote. Raman confirmed that conversations had taken place and said both campaigns share concern about the possibility of Pratt, backed by large amounts of money from a nationwide MAGA network, influencing the city’s civic life. She said the goal is to advance a bold progressive vision for Los Angeles.
