Submits Data Practice Request to the Minnesota Film and TV Board
Maple Lake, MN— On Thursday, September 27, 2018, Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake, submitted a data request to the Minnesota Film and TV Board, regarding SNOWBATE funding being approved for the documentary film production “Time for Ilhan.” The film is being played at the Walker Art Center this month, the district where State Representative Ilhan Omar, DFL-Minneapolis, is running for Congress. The producers of the documentary film applied in March of 2017 and were approved a month later to receive the 20 percent SNOWBATE incentive rebate on their post-production expenses. That amount is expected to be $11,852 in taxpayer money.
Rep. O’Neill serves on the House Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance Committee which approves funding for the Minnesota Film and TV Board.
“Taxpayer money should not be spent on a film about a sitting elected official and candidate for higher office. Furthermore, the film is being played right in her own district. It’s free political advertising at taxpayer expense and it is not right,” said Rep. O’Neill. “Minnesotans expect transparency and fairness in government, and approving taxpayer dollars for a project like this is simply wrong.”
