PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) Threatens Rich Menu of Contributions from Colleges
By Dennis Berkey
The following item appeared in the Sept. 14, 2007, edition of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, as an "As I See It" item on the op-ed page. Click the link below to read the full essay on the Telegram & Gazette website.
"In recent days members of the Worcester City Council have expressed increasing interest in imposing a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, program on the area's nonprofit institutions, specifically on our colleges and universities. Such a program could have a chilling effect on these institutions whose missions benefit the public good, many of whom have been part of the fabric of this great city for more than a century. As president of one of these institutions, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, I offer several observations specific to WPI that I hope will help illuminate the larger issues."
Read the complete essay.