Allegheny County leaders in Pennsylvania have decided to review the tax-exempt property of all non-profit organizations in the county, and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will be first to undergo a probe, according to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review report.
Earlier this week, the county council held a public meeting on what should be done with UPMC's tax-exempt land and property. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald then decided to enforce a 2007 ordinance that requires county officials to review tax-exempt land at least once every three years to "ensure they are used for solely charitable purposes," according to the report.
UPMC has been targeted for a property tax re-evaluation since this summer, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a four-part series in October asking if UPMC's $42 million annual property tax break was still legitimate. In response, UPMC said it is open to the review but believed it must be enforced at all non-profit organizations in the county.
"UPMC provides more in free and reduced care to the community to more than offset the tax exemptions extended to us," UPMC spokesperson Paul Wood said in the report. "Whatever tax requirements local or state or federal officials apply, we're OK with as long as it's applied fairly to all non-profits. The only fair way to do it is to look at all the tax-exempt properties."
One council member said there will be more public meetings to discuss the tax-exempt status of other county non-profits, and UPMC happens "to be the biggest and the first" to go through the process, according to the report.
Earlier this week, the county council held a public meeting on what should be done with UPMC's tax-exempt land and property. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald then decided to enforce a 2007 ordinance that requires county officials to review tax-exempt land at least once every three years to "ensure they are used for solely charitable purposes," according to the report.
UPMC has been targeted for a property tax re-evaluation since this summer, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a four-part series in October asking if UPMC's $42 million annual property tax break was still legitimate. In response, UPMC said it is open to the review but believed it must be enforced at all non-profit organizations in the county.
"UPMC provides more in free and reduced care to the community to more than offset the tax exemptions extended to us," UPMC spokesperson Paul Wood said in the report. "Whatever tax requirements local or state or federal officials apply, we're OK with as long as it's applied fairly to all non-profits. The only fair way to do it is to look at all the tax-exempt properties."
One council member said there will be more public meetings to discuss the tax-exempt status of other county non-profits, and UPMC happens "to be the biggest and the first" to go through the process, according to the report.
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