Director Peter Jackson's"The Lord of the Rings" trilogy has put New Zealand on the moviemaking map, resulting in millions of dollars being pumped into the Kiwi economy, with Jackson still set to film his"King Kong" remake there. But the obvious economic benefit to the country isn't enough for one of the nation's politicians, who still complains about the size of tax breaks New Zealand gives filmmakers. And Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen dares ask how much more Jackson wants? The better question is, how much more does Cullen want?

This is typical of the political class' way of thinking, which sees tax breaks as subsidies, as if all money belongs to the state.

digamma - 1/4/2004

A "tax break" is somewhere between a subsidy and being allowed to keep one's own money. If you're providing tax breaks to particular groups but not to others, while providing the same public services to all, you're effectively subsidizing certain groups at the expense of others.