JOINT EDUCATION & COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS AND MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

OCTOBER 27, 2004

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 7:07 p.m.

Adjourned: 8:00 p.m.

Present were: Co-Chairperson Councillor Paul P. Clancy, Jr.

Co-Chairperson Councillor Dennis L. Irish

Councillor Philip P. Palmieri @ 7:14 p.m.

Councillor Joseph M. Petty

Councillor Frederick C. Rushton

Councillor Thomas P. White @ 7:09 p.m.

Also: Assistant City Manager Julie Jacobson

City Assessor Robert Allard

Acting Deputy Police Chief Paul Campbell

City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

1. Petition of Gary J. Vecchio, Shrewsbury St. Neighborhood Association et al request City Council establish and the City Administration implement a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program in the City of Worcester.

#29 CC January 6, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 – Held

Recommend File

2. Communication of the City Manager relative to PILOT Program in New England.

#4B CM January 27, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 – Held

Recommend File

3. Communication of the City Manager relative to PILOT contributions made to the City.

#26A CM January 27, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 - Held

Recommend File

4. Communication of the City Manager relative to Fiscal 2004 Top Taxpayers.

#4D CM January 27, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 – Held

Recommend File

5. Communication of the City Manager relative to Tax Exempt Organizations.

#4C CM January 27, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 – Held

Recommend File

6. Communication of Roberta Schaefer, Executive Director, Worcester Regional Research Bureau transmitting Will Pilots Fly in Worcester? Taxing Nonprofits and Other Options.

#19 CC March 30, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 - Held

Recommend File

7. Communication of Mayor Timothy P. Murray transmitting Mayor’s Task Force Report on City/College Relations focusing on tax base expansion and job creation.

#18 CC May 18, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 - Held

Recommend Report and Adoption of the accompanying Resolution that the City Council endorses the concepts contained in the Mayor’s Task Force Report on City/College Relations.

8. Communication of the City Manager relative to Social Service Agencies on tax rolls.

#4A CM August 17, 2004

In Committee September 22, 2004 – Held

Recommend File

9. Communication of the City Manager relative to Data on Tax Exempt Properties.

#4A CM September 28, 2004

Recommend File

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager hold discussions with all the tax exempt property owners (State and Federal government, private colleges and universities, churches, hospitals, public authorities, etc) in the City about how they might contribute to the City’s tax base and report quarterly on the status of these discussions. Such discussions should include but not necessarily be limited to PILOT, housing, youth, parks and recreation, public education, neighborhood revitalization and economic development initiatives.

Chairman’s Order request the City manager to work with the Worcester legislative delegation to introduce legislation in January, 2005 modeled after Connecticut and Rhode Island whereby municipalities receive a payment for a percentage of the value of tax exempt land owned by hospitals, colleges and universities (77% in CT and 27% in RI) and by the State (45% and 27% respectively).

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager report to the City Council a description of the characteristics and obligations of a “public charity” whereby such a charity is granted an exemption from real estate taxes, and the monitoring and evaluation of compliance of such obligations.