I have always loved the movies. Whether it's a spaghetti Western, a thriller with a hungry shark, a heroic war drama, a romantic comedy or a thought-provoking science fiction film, Hollywood has always had the ability to entertain and enlighten.

Yet Hollywood is quickly wearing out its welcome.

Case in point: the recently approved California state budget.

This newly inked leviathan has a porky provision giving Hollywood $100 million per year in tax incentives. No -- that is not a mistake. $100 million -- per year for five years.

Why is an industry that pampers bratty Hollywood actors getting such a huge slice of state bacon? Most everybody else in California is going to feel the economic pain of being stuck with higher sales taxes, higher DMV fees and higher income taxes. Does anybody really think that the price of a movie ticket is going to drop after this $100 million giveaway? Please.

I detest welfare. It doesn't matter whether the welfare is for lazy people who sit around watching TV all day long collecting a check or billion-dollar corporations getting sweetheart deals from the government.

This Hollywood welfare provision in the state budget will only end up subsidizing the lifestyles of the sick and infamous. Yep, just more money to fuel the booze and drug parties. More money for inebriated actors and movie executives to smash up sports cars on Sunset Boulevard. And, of course, there will be more money for these spoiled glitterati to jet around in private planes and limousines while preaching to you and me that we have to conserve energy to save the planet.

Is there an Academy Award for B.S.?

It's ironic that so many of these super-rich Hollywood elites are enamored of Barack Obama. After all, President Obama campaigned last year on "spreading the wealth" when asked about economics by a plumber in Ohio.

More recently, President Obama has declared that corporate CEOs receiving federal bailout money can only be paid $500,000 per year.

In this same spirit, anybody in Hollywood connected to this $100 million state tax break should also be paid no more than $500,000 per year. While this will shrivel many of those fancy Rodeo Drive pocketbooks, it's the principle that counts.

A Forbes list details the top 100 celebrity earners. Here is just a sampling:

- Oprah Winfrey, $260 million

- Jerry Bruckheimer, $120 million

- Steven Spielberg, $110 million

- Johnny Depp, $92 million

- Jay-Z, $83 million

- Tom Hanks, $74 million

- George Clooney, $25 million

- Angelina Jolie, $20 million

Last month, the elegant and very liberal actress Susan Sarandon said of Barack Obama at an inaugural party, "He is a community organizer like Jesus was. And now, we're a community and he can organize us."

Organize indeed, Ms. Sarandon. A great start would be for you and your Hollywood pals to forgo your multimillion-dollar salaries and only accept no more than $500,000 per year.

It's time to put your money where your mouth is, Hollywood. Spread your wealth.

Rich Reiss lives in Temecula.