Bristol Palin TV Show Draws $354,348 State Subsidy

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By Dermot Cole - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Story Created: Dec 12, 2012 at 9:25 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Dec 12, 2012 at 9:25 AM AKDT

The California company that made Bristol Palin's TV show about raising her child has collected a $354,348 subsidy from the state.

Unlike nearly all of the other shows and films subsidized so far under the movie incentive program, the salaries paid to Alaska residents on the Palin show account for a majority of the total "Alaska expenses" for the TV show.

Palin and the five other Alaska residents who participated as "talent" on the show collected close to a half-million in wages.

Total "Alaska expenses," a term that is misleading because it includes money paid to people from Outside, were reported as $995,275.

"Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp" ran for 14 episodes last summer on the Lifetime Channel and did not gather big ratings for the cable network.

The Alaska subsidy is paid in the form of a transferable tax credit, but since the limited liability companies that make films don't pay a state tax, they sell the tax credits to other companies.

I refer to it as a subsidy because that is what it is. Calling it a "tax credit" is a misnomer since the recipients pay no taxes. The subsidy is equivalent to a cash payment from the general fund.

The document from the Alaska Film Office says the Helping Hands LLC paid $475,598 to "above the line" people from Alaska. "Above the line" is the term used to denote the stars, director, producer and other key figures in a production.

The salaries paid to people who worked on the physical production—running cameras and lights, etc.— totaled $32,400 for Alaska residents, according to the form. There were no Alaskans hired as crew for the show.

The subsidy paperwork says that six Alaskans were part of the "talent" for the show, Bristol Palin et al., and worked an average of 14 weeks.

The LLC also reported paying $74,057 in "above the line" wages to people from Outside and $148,450 to non-Alaskans for production work.

The production qualified for a seasonal subsidy of $4,964 because $248,206 was spent between Oct. 1 and March 30 in Alaska. The subsidy also included a "rural tax credit" of 79 cents, according to the form, because $39 was spent in a "rural community."

The program said that filming took place in Wasilla, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Big Lake, Palmer, Houston and Portage.

Talkeetna is one of the communities regarded as "rural," which gathers an additional 2 percent subsidy. (In the Fairbanks area, Two Rivers is regarded as rural, as is Fox. North Pole is not, but Salcha is.

With wages to Alaskans coming in at $508,000, the subsidy calculation includes a 10 percent "Alaska hire credit" worth $50,800 on top of the base 30 percent subsidy.

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dennis said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 10:02 AM

you got to be kidding Th ePalins should pay the state. There just a bunch of money mogers

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bo said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 10:23 AM

When are you going to forget about the Palins? There are all has beens and not worth writing about. If you quit writing about them they will set in to the sun set like in Barrow alaska except no one will be happy to see them arise in the spring.

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Who said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 10:29 AM

Bristol Who?

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Ward said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 10:52 AM

More palin feeding at the public trough.

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up-norther said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 11:12 AM

Yep let's forget about palin's! They're just ordinary citizens like you and I! They think their all that when they aren't! For all the negative publicity brought to OUR state, they should pay Alaska! Saying their from Alaska and trying to get rich Outside is a bunch of bologna or wait spam!!

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Robert said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 11:24 AM

$354,000?!? Think that should have gone to alaskans who are in dire need of this $$! Her mom should have paid!

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Dave said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 11:33 AM

It is a shame the State of Alaska has that kind of money to spend on this nonsense. The money could have been better spent, like helping people put food on the table, and fuel in their tanks.

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charles said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 11:40 AM

Excellent, we wish the Palins the best. Funny how just the mention of the Palins brings out the lowest forms of life that attack them. I especially like it when people comment that the Palins are greedy and then in the next sentence say their money should go to benefit some want the poster has. Ironic huh? I don't think they understand the true meaning of the word "Greedy" even though they have the perfect example in themselves. :-)

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Pink said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 11:53 AM

Get the Party Started...what one might have gained will be lost... If I were Bristol I would be worried about going to federal prison for stalking a rape victim and committing domestic-terrorism...;) I heard your mommas real estate friend put tweekers across from the richest kid...you know...the one that your momma took the HUGE money from?

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Baron said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 12:25 PM

I don't care that she has a show (what idiots watch that mess?) but I don't think the State should be subsidizing it. Funny, Sarah complains about all those government leeches while she and her young suck off the same teat.

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Lu said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 12:37 PM

The same Movie subsidy , which was signed by Mommie Dearest when she was in Office.

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ColdNAK said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 3:15 PM

Amen Dave - All that money could have been spent to help people instead of a foolish show that nobody watched.

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cooljulie said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 4:17 PM

Meanwhile we lay off school support staff and don't plow the roads today because of budget shortages. It's an embarrassment to be an Alaskan when the Palin name pops up.

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Ken said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 4:41 PM

How much have the Kelchers received from the state for Frontier Alaska? This is the most dishonest show ever produced about Alaska. The Kelchers have reached a new low when it comes to reality shows.

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pnanouk said on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 5:52 PM

wonderful show! it would be nice to see bristol in movies too!

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Anonymous said on Thursday, Dec 13 at 2:14 PM

yes the puppet of Sean Parnell to these "thieves" is God's Will is it? Well now when that global court date airs and USA crimes that Palin instigated years ago...will come to light...say I saw HBO is doing a Game Change 2...lol...may be they will include the criminal activities or money laundering and extortions they made...COOL!

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Just askin' said on Friday, Dec 14 at 8:48 AM

And who is behind Helping Hands, LLC? According to Malia Littman, the LLC's paperwork was filed by a lawyer who works for the same firm that gets tens of thousands of dollars in retainers from SarahPAC. Which could mean people who think they're donating to a political cause are actually paying for the Palin family's for-profit business dealings. Not that they'd stop donating, the fools.

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From Russia with Love said on Friday, Dec 14 at 2:18 PM

Russia and the USA signed a law that goes after officials who violate human rights...aww...so Russia got the intel on the crimes of the past and current administration...

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re: Charles said on Friday, Dec 14 at 2:22 PM

so why did you order the hanging of that Nam Vet in Deer Park? the same place they are sending Keyes? my my my once bit twice shy baby...lol...see yas in the courts...with that DNA no one wants to talk about

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