[Vision2020] other property tax exemptions

[Mark Solomon]

Visionaries:

Aside from the property tax exemptions discussed on the list so far, 
there's a few more to take notice of. The two that caught my eye 
while serving as county commissioner were hospitals (when established 
as non-profit or in affiliation with a religious order) and fraternal 
organizations.

Back in the late 80's/early 90's (memory fails me on the exact date), 
Gritman changed their administration from a director hired by the 
hospital board to a contract with a for-profit hospital management 
group. Shortly thereafter, while I was commissioner, we noticed a 
significant increase in bills sent to the county from Gritman for 
provision of medical indigent care. By state law, counties are 
required to provide funds for medical indigency needs. The county has 
only one source of funds for this mandate: the property tax. The 
board of commissioners requested that Gritman provide financial 
records indicating the amount of charitable care they were providing 
to justify the continued exemption for the facility from the property 
tax roles. To make a long story short, Gritman agreed to 
significantly increase the amount of charitable care provided to 
indigent patients and has stayed off the tax roles. I do not know the 
current status of the amount of charitable care provided or whether 
it has been examined in the decade since I left office.

The class of "fraternal organizations" troubled me then and troubles 
me now. That includes everything from the Elks golf course to the 
sorority/fraternity houses by campus.

Mark Solomon