The City Council’s Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on Aug. 2 regarding the Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) program. Through this program, which is in its seventh year as of fiscal year 2018, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions can voluntarily compensate the city through cash payments and community benefit programs instead of paying taxes.
Much of the hearing ended up being about universities like Northeastern, with many from the community testifying that they believe the Fenway-based college isn’t paying its fair share.
The chair of the committee is Mark Ciommo, and the sponsors of the hearing were Councilors Annissa Essaibi-George and Lydia Edwards. At the start of the hearing, Essaibi-George said that she appreciates the services that institutions, such as hospitals and universities, bring to the City of Boston.
Edwards said that this hearing was “about a good neighbor policy,” and that she had several goals for the hearing, including that accurate and up-to-date information be looked at, as well as the discussion of ways that the city can be “bold, creative, and make sure these institutions are paying.”