Rep. Hugh Blackwell (NC-86) echoed Phillips’ statement by saying the idea for the General Assembly now is to have lower tax rates for everybody by limiting the special treatment certain industry groups received.

“It appears that the economy is picking up, so I would say that my sense is that the deck is slightly tilted against reviving it or preventing it from expiring,” Blackwell said. “I think the hope is that we can keep the tax rates lower and that will make up for some of the loss for the specialized tax credits that were targeted for favored parts of the economy.”

Blackwell also cited that the state isn’t well-suited to pick and choose the “winners and losers” of tax credits.

“I’m just not convinced that we ought to get into the business, as a state, of picking what businesses should get it and not get it,” Blackwell said. “We are better off with across the board fair taxes. While these (movies) are exciting things, but in the final analysis, they are leaving and those jobs have gone with them.

“It was a very short thing. What we need are permanent jobs for people and businesses that want to operate on a long term basis.”

Blackwell stated that if more tax credits are handed out, then the legislature would have to make additional cuts.

“I’m not apathetic to tourism,” he said. “I want them to do well, but I want the rest of the economy to do well, too.”