Letter From Don Stokes new TXMPA President

Don Stokes has been in the film business in Dallas for many years. It looks like TXMPA should be in good hands under his leadership. Here is his recent letter to the masses:

“It is my honor to be the newly elected President of TXMPA. Thanks to the leadership provided by past Presidents, Hector Garcia and Meredith Stephens, and the current and past board members of our organization we have established TXMPA as an effective advocate for the moving image industry in Texas.

I am involved in this endeavor for many reasons. I grew up in this industry and have been working in it for most of my life. I love what I do and I love our industry. I’ve lived through the era when Texas earned and deserved the title of “the third coast” and I’ve struggled and survived through lean times when work destined for Texas has been pulled away by incentives offered elsewhere. I want to see these projects return to Texas and I want to be a part of making it happen. Simply put, I am involved because I have to be and I hope you realize in order for it to happen you have to be, too.

In a short two years TXMPA has successfully lobbied for the first ever production incentive program for the moving image industry in Texas. In its first year the existing incentive program has authorized pay out of over $7 million on over $140 million in production revenue for the state across all areas of our industry.

While this is encouraging, it still falls short of our goals for bringing new business to Texas. We are already working on a new legislative agenda for the 2009 session that calls for modification to the existing incentive program. We are working with our lobbyist at HillCo Partners, The Texas Film Commission, industry leaders, and our legislative allies to craft a program that will incentivize new business through expansion of the existing scope and range of incentives as well as simplifying the rules process that govern the payout process in order to make Texas more competitive. The challenge of creating a program that fits within the fiscal structure of the State budget is daunting at times, but we are confident we will be successful.

Once our agenda is in place it will be the task of TXMPA and you as industry members to take our message to our legislators and make them aware of the needs and desires of a unified industry. With a message calling for a larger commitment on the part of the state we will face a difficult task in getting recognition and winning support to get our legislation passed and funded.

We need your commitment to make this happen. We need to be able to tell legislators the size and scope of our industry and the numbers of industry members we represent. Sign up for the TXMPA newsletter so you will be up-to-date on where we are headed and to be alerted to events in your region and across the state. We need to know you will be there when we follow up the great success of our 2007 lobby day effort with a new and even larger effort in 2009. Ask your TXMPA Regional Representatives what you can do to help and stay involved.

Getting legislation passed costs money, unfortunately, lots of money. Join TXMPA so we have the financial resources to see this effort through. Consider becoming a Sponsor and solicit your friends and co-workers to do the same. The more people who support the effort, the more sustainable the effort.”

Don Stokes
TXMPA President
2008-2010