Tax filings for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) shows that movie studios have upped their contribution to the film industry's trade association and main lobby group.
The IRS filings covering the fiscal year ending December 31st 2012, obtained by Variety, show that membership dues have increased from $41.5 million in 2010 to $59.7 million just two years later.
The group's lobbying efforts have largely remain the same from a year ago, with $4.8 million being spent in total (up from $4.7 million).
The tax returns also shows grants and donations to groups seen as potential allies in any current and future MPAA endeavors. $127,150 was given to the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), and $100,000 to Carnegie Mellon University, which recently published a study highlighting the potential gains for the industry due to the controversial seizure of file hosting website Megaupload.
Even though current chairman Chris Dodd has his roots firmly embedded in the Democratic party, being a former senator for the party, the MPAA's political neutrality strategy was further affirmed via the returns. The returns showed donations to a wide spectrum of political groups, from the left-leaning Center for American Progress and the Democratic Governors Assn., to the Tea Part affiliated Let Freedom Ring and the anti-tax Americans for Tax Reform group, both of which might have been Dodd's political opponents in his politician days.
The returns also showed Dodd's remuneration for 2012, which totalled $3.3m, including $3m in base salary.
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