New Haven Independent

Posted by: anon | December 19, 2008 12:50 PM

"As New Haven's last major corporate citizen, $17 billion-endowed Yale University will determine to a large extent how many families will continue to earn wages to pay the bills in the recession that's underway and expected to last a year."

Not true. Yale represents only a fraction of the 250,000 jobs within the New Haven Labor Market Area.

Posted by: JP | December 19, 2008 12:54 PM

If Yale really wanted to be a good citizen they would just pay the different between what we get from Pilot and the actual taxes anything less then that is just lip service. It's time for Yale to step up and pay there fair share.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | December 19, 2008 1:22 PM

Levin is a very good man and has made tremendous strides at Yale. But Yale's tax exempt status is an ancient relic from a distant century which is totally inappropriate for modern times. Poor New Haven is caught in the middle between an antique property tax system and Yale's 17th century tax breaks. Yale is a champion for social justice and decency nationally and internationally -- it should do what's right here at home and pay its fair share. That would make the PILOT shortfall moot.

Posted by: 2nd Amendment | December 19, 2008 1:50 PM

I recall a conversation with a gentleman who was in high school in New Haven during the Great Depression. According to his recollection, Yale did NOT help out then. The gates of the colleges crashed shut, leaving New Haven to fend for itself. Levin should not try rewrite history. He wasn't here then.

Posted by: stptia | December 19, 2008 3:21 PM

SHOW US THE MONEY!

"Pretty scary" - 17 billion - down 6 billion makes them almost sound paycheck to paycheck like most of the rest of us.

Posted by: k8 | December 19, 2008 4:16 PM

Everytime economic times become tough around New Haven people start screamimg that Yale should pay its fair share in taxes. If Yale should pay taxes, then all universities and schools should have to pay and that includes in New Haven the University of New Haven, SCSU, Albertus Magnus, Gateway, and etc. Tax exempt status is given to all educational organizations at all levels-elementary on up, public and private . Yale being tax exempt is not "an antique property tax system and [part of] Yale's 17th century tax breaks". As much as some may dislike it New Haven would not be the city it is without Yale, for better or worse. Taxing Yale isn't going to solve New Haven's financial problems.

Posted by: James | December 19, 2008 4:22 PM

Yes, New Haven, stomp your feet and wait for the handout you're entitled to. That's what you do best.

Posted by: Tim | December 19, 2008 4:28 PM

Why the hatred for Yale?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 19, 2008 5:02 PM

TIM your joken right!!!!!!!!! they are sucking the blood out of us! Thye say look we give the city this and that! Please! I wish I had the map of how much property in New Haven is tax exempt Yale property! Time for them to help bail this city out!

Posted by: robn | December 19, 2008 5:08 PM

K8,

SCSU is a public university and therefore its structurally inclined to serve the public.

As for comparing Yale with the other institutions with tax-exempt status, Yale is often the target of complaint becuase of the scale of its wealth. At what point does an institution like Yale, no matter how much it may see itself inclined towards the public good, cease to be for the good of the public? I think that having a multi-billion dollar endowment which greatly eclipses its local peers (by 10X) and so greatly exceeds the the tax reciepts of the city in which it resides (100X) should make us reconsider their status.

This is before even discussing the awesome market power that Yale's fund managers wield, how deeply imbedded they are in the private market, and therefore, as is so painfully evident today, how deeply their decisionss affect the day to day lives of normal citizens.

Posted by: JP | December 19, 2008 5:34 PM

James the only one looking for a hand out is Yale.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | December 19, 2008 6:11 PM

It's easy to look at Yale to bail out the city from its financial mess. In fact, Yale has been bailing out the city's gross overspending for years. Does it have a large amount of tax exempt property? Yes. It also pays millions in lieu of taxes; is one reason the city gets so much in PILOT payments; pays without squealing exorbitant building permit fees - which is more than I can say for Becker and Shartenburg; in fact the permit fees it pays the city creates more profit for the city than the general contractor gets for all the construction work some report; And it funds a lot of other things, not to mention employing a lot of city residents.

Remember folks: New Haven's fiancial mess is directly the fault of Mayor John DeStefano. He has rammed through huge spending increases; borrowed more money than he can reasonably service without "unlimited property taxes" as noted by the bond rating companies; and expanded the city's workforce. Bottom line is that he has built a house of cards that cannot even be solved with 15% property tax increases. If the mayor really cared about this city, he'd announce he's not running, will not endorse anybody and allow some good folks to run without any machine, plantation politics.

Absent that, it's time for the public to grow a set and dump the lump. He's destroying families and putting them under extreme stress.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | December 19, 2008 8:33 PM

I am proud to live in this city with Yale as a neighbor. While there are those in the Yale community (as in every community) who are ignorant and insensitive I believe that New Haven has benefited from having this institution here.

New Haven has Yale
Hartford has Insurance and UTC
Stamford has Corporate America
Waterbury has Rowland
Bridgeport has..has..

Let's hope Levin and DeStefano can come up with a "help city weather recession" plan that makes sense to both City and University.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | December 20, 2008 12:37 AM

Yale is a wealthy, tax-exempt corporation older than America. They do great things for this community. But Ben and Jerry's was a fabulous, civic-minded company that did great things for its community -- but it still paid taxes. Let's face it, in America only a very powerful corporation with huge resources like Yale could be so adept at steering clear of paying taxes and getting others to pay for them thru PILOT etc. Does Yale still need public subsidy to grow and thrive? Of course not.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 20, 2008 10:18 AM

City Hall Watch
I agree with the JD statements. But what is done is done. Getting rid of him is not going to change the mess he made any time soon. Waterbury is growing because it is so cheap to do business as city's go and New Haven is going under! We are the new Waterbury of the state :(

And reality is Yale is spiteing it self right now as far as I am concern....in leiu of taxes, PLEASE we get 61% of in leiu of taxes with the pilot! Make them pay the difference! Shit if they are so generous let them fourgo their tax exempt status all together, that they play so much any way, it won't hurt them at all? right

Posted by: JP | December 20, 2008 10:40 AM

City Hall Watch, While i agree Jonny has way overspent the citys problems come from the fact that 60% of the city is tax exempt.

Posted by: Tim | December 20, 2008 11:53 AM

Cedar - What do you think NH would look like without Yale?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 20, 2008 6:54 PM

Tim, personally I think that is a ridiculous question but let me see if I can answer it for you. (I only say ridiculous because it revolves around propaganda that New Haven would be nothing without Yale crap).
Yale has been here for a very long time so it is hard to tell. In order to answer such a question appropriately you would have to time travel back to when they started to reconfigure the city. It would of grown differently with out Yale. My guess is no different than the sourounding towns East Haven, West Haven or North Haven. Alot less people would of migrated here. Shoot the Angeletti's were some of those very stone cutters form Italy that Levin talked about. So my very existence would not have happened. But in general I don't think New Haven would be a broke city if they where not here.
Or are you suggesting if Yale was to pick up and move out of New Haven all together? We know that they never would so why even play with that thought?

Posted by: City Hall Watch | December 20, 2008 10:55 PM

JP:

True...large amounts are tax exempt, but Yale, YNHH pay taxes in lieu; at the same time, DeStefano has taken other valuable parcels and adding to the tax exempt rolls and using it to chase PILOT dollars. To make matters worse, Kica Matos and one of her compatriots suggested this week that the city buy up foreclosed housing and use it for the homeless and other low income people. That's just the kind of thinking we don't need. Bitching about tax exempt property and then even spending one minute thinking about how to add to it.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 21, 2008 10:32 AM

hmmm tim this is nice little pieace of history...

http://books.google.com/books?id=CokfAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP1&dq=william+s+pardee+%26+new+haven+1911#PPP1,M1

I of course took from it something different than you may but....read the bottom of page 6.

Posted by: ROBN | December 21, 2008 11:10 AM

CHR,

YOU'RE MY HERO!!!!

The May 22, 1654 passage is indisputable historical evidence that New Haven's founders intended for Yale to pay taxes.

While were at it folks, anybody game for invading Delaware to get back our "outposts"? That might actually be easier than prying coinage from the paws of University fund managers.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 21, 2008 11:39 AM

pss sorry I wish their was an edit button so I could add after thoughts :) (hint hint) But Tim take note who wrote this. William Pardee the man and family that makes it possible to have the parks we have!! All of us! Not just Yale.

So the question I ask you is what would Yale be if it was not for the citizens of New Haven?? With our ports and railroads we would of been just fine with out Yale! After all we were the true rebels and independent thinkers! Tax exemption for Colleges was set up because they where a struggle entity and many still are. But Yale is a multi BILLION dollar business?? Should they still qualify for the hand outs??

Posted by: Jasonm | December 21, 2008 2:19 PM

Yale would be much better off if it could simply leave New Haven and its dysfunctional citizenry and Paleolithic unions behind, to relocate to a more forward-looking environment.

New Haven would look a lot more like Bridgeport or Hartford, which ought to make a lot of Yale-bashers happy.

Yale would be able to pursue its mission of teaching and research without having to placate a bunch of self-important labor activists, tiptoing around their demands for antiquated work rules, every time it wanted a new initiative.

If someone were starting a billion-dollar university in 2008, there's no way they would do so in a place like New Haven.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 21, 2008 4:41 PM

Robn this was actually given to me by a little woodland fairy. :)

City Hall Watch very good point! Yale is the biggest offender. But I have been witness to groups that totally abuses the tax exempt law for churches.

Sad reality to the choose of Johnny allowing this is the 61% pilot we got this year is about to take another cut in the up coming budget, the guess is 45-55% you do the math.

Time to go to Hartford and revisit this law. Tax exempt was meant to allow colleges to exist. But when a colleges earning far exceed what the original law was meant to do some revisions need to be made!

Posted by: robn | December 21, 2008 5:55 PM

JASONM,

You're funny! Yale is so forward looking that 14,000 alumni continue to insist that Mory's stay locked in a time warp of stale food and bad music while at the same time they can't cough up a few bucks to keep it afloat.

Posted by: jp | December 21, 2008 8:54 PM

none of this changes the fact that yale should pay what they owe nothing more nothing less.

Posted by: what? | December 21, 2008 10:17 PM

How about all the parking tickets yale gets that should make up for something. Why shouldn't the city be more responsable with there money and get a new mayor while there at it.

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | December 22, 2008 7:02 AM

Q: What would Yale be without New Haven?

A: The University of Bridgeport.

Posted by: Bulldog | December 22, 2008 7:43 AM

Talk is Cheap

Posted by: James | December 22, 2008 9:46 AM

Educational institutions do not pay taxes. Period. Why is this hard to understand and why should Yale be any different? Because they have money? But yes, I am forgetting the City motto; I Deserve Free Money!

Yale is not what's wrong with this city. Yale makes an awful lot of positive contributions. Granted, it's in their best interests to keep this craphole from sliding into the lawless welfare state it so badly wants to be, but their presence and actions are beneficial nonetheless.

To those who argue "Look at all of the property they own that they don't pay taxes on!!," what do you think that property would be doing? Generating revenue? We have plenty of of available commercial, industrial, and residential property available. Much of it lies vacant and/or in disrepair. Who do you all expect would occupy these properties and what revenue do you think they would be generating?

And before you point to the few profitable businesses that we do have that are not directly affiliated with Yale, think about how many of these business directly benefit from the concentration of population created by Yale. How many restaurants and boutiques do you think this city would otherwise support? Mow many ancillary business are located in or around New Haven to support Yale? How many jobs are provided by Yale? How many people would have no reason to live here if it weren't for Yale and then who would be shopping and supporting business in New Haven?

Once again, this town seems to have a kneejerk reaction against anything or anybody that has any sort of wealth that that wealth should be seized and distributed. Those of you that would penalize Yale for having a large endowment and, what, being educated? Providing services that our corrupt and incompetent city is incapable of? What is it that you object to so strongly?

The mark of a good parasite is that it does not kill its host. Be a good parasite, New Haven. Just suck the blood that you need to survive.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | December 22, 2008 12:23 PM

Q: What would New Haven be without Yale?

A: Bridgeport. Hartford. Waterbury. Oops...not Waterbury. They live within their means and are making a comeback on their own.

Posted by: Stephen Rossof the Woodland Rosses | December 22, 2008 12:49 PM

Jason and Jason M,

The tactic of being rude and belittling toward your community to bolster your argument is fascinating and novel. To be both so passionate about the omnipotent Ol' Blue and so derisive of the lowly and dismal City of Elms is indeed a resounding triumph of wit and intellectual bravado. Why, I'm willing to bet you both have really gargantuan penises as well.

I love seeing such marked trailblazers on this board!

Posted by: Stephen Ross | December 22, 2008 12:51 PM

Oops! My comment was meant for you too, James. I'm sorry if you felt left out.

Posted by: newhavenres | December 22, 2008 1:18 PM

As I read these responses I am feeling really disappointed. As a Yale employee (union) and New Haven resident (for many years prior to working for Yale) I can't help but feel that there is far too much nasty rhetoric being slung from both sides. It is racist and classist to suggest that New Haven without Yale would become a "lawless welfare state" full of "dysfunctional citizenry." New Haven has a rich history of forward thinking, creative citizens and not every good thing that has happened in or come from New Haven has its roots in Yale. Yale chose to come to this vibrant city and settle here because it is a good city in may ways and has been for centuries.

I am proud to be a citizen of New Haven and a Yale employee - and am glad that I have a Union that helps to ensure that I am fairly compensated for the work that I do to support Yale's "mission of teaching and research." Yale would not be what it is today if not for the amazing staff and support workers it has - we certainly earn what we are paid for.

As a New Haven resident, while it would be helpful if Yale paid tax on it's properties, it doesn't and it will not. But Yale does many other things to support the economy and infrastructure of our city and to enrich the environment in which we raise our children. Yale is doing it's part.

Perhaps JasonM should "relocate to a more forward-looking environment" - where "Paleolithic" union workers are not paid a living wage for doing their jobs well and where people of all classes don't struggle with the financial difficulties of every day life in America.

Posted by: JP | December 22, 2008 4:14 PM

James, You understand that even empty building still have to pay property tax to the city and that when they house successful business the sales tax they bring in goes to the state right? So even if every Yale building was a completely empty but not non-profit we'd still generate about 30% more in tax revenue for the city. I just want someone to explain to me how any city could possibly survive when 60% of its ability to tax is taken away by non profits its just not possible.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 22, 2008 7:40 PM

JP because the law is several hundred years old! Because when the piolot program was set up it was a cash cow to the city! And now that the cows utters are broken the only people left to pay the bill are the 40% of taxable propertys! So we the people are stuck holding the feed bag for this failed plan! And yale who sold the idea of "in lieu of" has turn there backs on us! Well as the wise men once said...
http://affordablecomputerz.com/music/BeatlesRevolution.mp3

Posted by: James | December 22, 2008 8:26 PM

JP: Empty buildings don't employ anyone. I'd rather see people working and contributing to society than an empty building generating tax revenue to feed and house the unemployed. Aside from which, that's not exactly a sustainable business model. How long will somebody hold onto a vacant building generating no revenue all the while paying taxes? You'll simply wind up with an abandoned building or one sold for a very low price thus degrading real estate value.

Stephen Ross: Indeed I was feeling left out. It's far too infrequent that people provide my penis with the recognition it deserves. For the record, I don't give a fig for Yale. I simply see it as the only thing anchoring jobs and commerce to a dying, post-industrial New England town. I see no other draw for outsiders and no other market affluent and numerically substantial enough to support the restaurants, hotels, and theaters of this town. I see no substantial industry to replace the professional, service, and trade jobs that would not be here but for Yale. Think Detroit without the auto industry (you don't have to think very hard).

Newhavenres: Classist and racist? That's a hell of a reach. But not unexpected in our politically hypersensitive society. Again, think Detroit. If I were to say that Detroit would slide into an abyss of poverty and lawlessness without the automakers, would that be racist? There's enough real racism to go around without you having to hunt for it in non-existent subtext. My point is quite simple--poverty and desperation breed crime and urban decay. You do realize that Yale is the single largest employer of people of all colors and socioeconomic groups in the area, right? Please pocket the PC-mania long enough to discuss the actual topic at hand. The minute you shout "Racist!" it shuts down any discourse. Aside from which, it rather unpleasant to accuse someone of something so vile with absolutly nothing to back it up.

Posted by: Streever | December 23, 2008 9:05 AM

I'm glad we have Yale but don't view them as omnipotent or perfect: but I can't deny we aren't Hartford or Bridgeport. I do think that has a lot to do with the culture & jobs that Yale brings.

What big company would provide the same level of jobs?

What exactly would replace the void we'd have without Yale?

There are plenty of other revenue sources for the city. We just need to be creative.

If our poor neighborhoods were thriving we wouldn't even be worried--but they aren't, so instead, we sit around & navel gaze for ways to make Yale pay more.

Spend the day in the Hill--Fair Haven--there are lots of neighborhoods in this city which are under-utilized. A commitment to public safety, community policing, & listening to the activists & neighbors in those communities could see them turn-around & become vibrant parts of our city. We've built some beautiful new schools out there: now let's step up enforcement & support the neighborhoods.

Instead we all hover around downtown, building luxury condos no one wants, & wondering why the city isn't improving. We give DOT the right to come in and build another route 34. Don't worry, it's out on Whalley! Good folks aren't there, so you don't have to come to the meetings & speak up!

Heaven forbid you attend a City Plan meeting or a Zoning Appeal meeting to protest a new development that is non sustainable or bad for the city. I mean, hell, you have a job! You're way too busy to take part in this stuff. Just sit in bed, bitch on the NHI comments board, & everything will work out.

Posted by: Chris Gray | December 23, 2008 2:37 PM

Wow!

I'm glad I'm no longer the only one on BOTH sides of this argument. Because, really, people, I am on both sides and, frankly, I like working with Levin better than I do DeStefano.

So, empty buldings do pay taxes? Nah, that's still just not correct.

Posted by: JP | December 23, 2008 4:02 PM

Listen i realize its a catch 22 without Yale we'd be Bridgeport and with Yale everything outside of downtown is Bridgeport but the point is with Yale we will never be able to afford the changes we need to make. If Yale practiced what they pretend to teach students about being good members of the community they would lend a hand. But hey if they are content to have there entire campus surrounded by ghetto and there students and faculty constantly mugged then i guess we'll just sit back and see what happens. Most other ivy league schools figured this out a long time ago. For instance U PENN completely turned its campus around about 10 years ago.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 23, 2008 4:33 PM

hmmm It's all david streever's fault! :)

David I do disagree with your assessment of the yale situation. But as a long time New Havener we are venting. We KNOW the mayor will never call them to task. Back in the 80's or 90's when Danial's was Mayor it almost happened and he cut a 2 million dollar deal with them that is costing us now.

As far as people coming out to meetings. hmmm I have been battling the lack of interest in my area for a while. Slowly learning that, most that live in these areas work more than 8 hour days, some 2 even 3 jobs, no vacation days, sick days ect. (I was one of them so I totally get not having that energy). Weather doing mostly hard physical labor jobs (the dirty jobs that lower income people tend to do). Or single parents that need that hour or two at the end of the day with their kids to cook dinner and clean house before starting the day over again. Or people with illnesses, that may not work hard jobs but struggle everyday. Low income community's, speak up over and over and over never to be heard. Then after they finally grow tired, the hirer ups say to them, but you are doing nothing.
David it is commendable for you to stand up for these community's and I truely feel that you are genuine in these thoughts and feelings, alot more than most! But remember that how much of these peoples pay go to their rent or mortgages, and yes I will say it property taxes. 35-40% some are even higher every month (not including food and utilitys. They are just trying to make it through a day. Never mind fighting a fight that is never won. We elect alderman to do that fight for us, we elect the mayor to do that. We pay the mayor to do that!
Police hmmm I love our cops but even they will tell you my area has not one! We in my area really do police our community. That takes energy and time from communitys.

David how do you tell people to get involved when it never made a difference that they have ever seen? You figure that out and maybe we can get more involved. Personally me, I just don't do winter, I blame it on S.A.D.

But back to Yale
this is proof that at one time yale was not suppose to have the massive breaks they still have
http://books.google.com/books?id=CokfAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP1&dq=william+s+pardee+%26+new+haven+1911#PPP1,M1

Posted by: Streever | December 24, 2008 8:46 AM

Hey CDH,

I always try to focus on what we can do, never on what seems insurmountable: and to me, the Yale being taxed issue seems like a non-starter & not going to accomplish any change at all.

We can do things to improve Fair Haven & other neighborhoods that are viable: in fact, it's happening right now! Look at places like Chatham square.

Of course you are right that the property tax system is broken. Everyone agrees with that! The issue is how to fix it.

I think a 2% sales tax is a good first step. I don't think we need to worry so much about taxing yale because I don't think it will go anywhere or help anyone in the end.

Posted by: ROBN | December 24, 2008 12:28 PM

DS,

Taxing Yale isn't out of the question. Observe the odd sort of corporate socialism we're observing at this moment with the TARP bailout. This would have been unthinkable 9 months ago and its evident impending failure indicates more radical change to come. Nothings off the table, nor should anything be.

Posted by: Chris Gray | December 24, 2008 3:47 PM

Sure, radical change is in the air. Let's start with pressing for just the difference between the PILOT and the real loss in property taxes.

Also, get rid of the "special" exemption status. Even try to do it politely, rather than the nasty way I always have, in the past. Levin really isn't Giammatti or Schmidt.

Posted by: Streever | December 24, 2008 5:14 PM

Let's start by taxing our corporations for their real value, instead of grossly mis-stated FALSE values?

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=11109

Hey look, I just found a million bucks!

and I didn't even have to tax yale or make concessions with a union!

how many other tax payers don't pay their fair share?

How many run-down neighborhoods need a community policing program (and I DON'T mean me & Ben or Cedar Hill Resident: I mean REAL cops!) so they can step up & become REAL neighborhoods with vibrant businesses & strong economies & strong tax bases?

People,

I think we're dangerously low on ideas if we really think that getting Yale to pay 20 million a year in taxes is viable or easier than repairing our broken city.

Let's be real here, we have neighborhoods that only need some love & policing. We have neighborhoods like Cedar Hills with a VERY strong community presence--people like CHR are there every day, putting THEIR LIVES on the line to keep it safe. Get some cops there, better yet, get the cops to follow up on the GREAT LEADS they get--the drug houses & the drug dealers have already been identified by people like CHR. We know where these people live & the cops have been told.

And the police? They aren't there. The City isn't there. No one is there.

And we have people on boards & commissions who care more about politics & making pretty then they do about doing the work--and we have citizens so wrapped up in their resentment against Yale that they've lost sight of what we need to do.

Look,
I totally understand the feeling of resentment towards Yale, but is this really productive when we have so many other things to fix & do right now?

Let's get our 1 million from Gateway Terminal, institute a 2$ sales tax, and not give our employees a raise that is almost 2 times the national average this year, and there it is, our entire budget gap back.

While we're at it, let's look at the over 100 people making 100k+ a year on the BOE.

We can solve our problems easily without taxing Yale, which seems like an awfully hard fight. Then we can focus on bringing REAL POLICE into our neighborhoods & building a community police presence.

Are we really this short on creativity & good ideas? The City of New Haven has enough that we need to fix on our own first before we go after taxing a university.

Does anyone know of any community where the private universities pay taxes? I have never seen it & wonder if this is really ever going to be possible. Especially in these economic times.

Posted by: JP | December 27, 2008 9:57 AM

I actually believe we could close the budget gap just by enforcing parking laws downtown but I think it would be easier to shame Yale into doing the right thing then it would be to get the police department to take action. Another idea would be a penny tax on liquor sales. Most large citys also have an income tax for people inside the city limits but i dont think that would work here.

Again I think the real problem is that a city cant survive when 60% of its land is tax exempt and so Yale sould step up and do the right thing.

Posted by: robn | December 29, 2008 1:01 PM

JP.
just curious...where does the 60% figure come from?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 29, 2008 3:00 PM

These are the city's figures. For the pilot program I may still have a map at home. Will post later if I find it

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 29, 2008 8:36 PM

Ok I could not find the map (not an organized person). But 61% is the amount that we got reimbursed for for in lieu of last year and this year is will be alot less. The citys total tax exempt property is at 43% and growing, that includes state (schools ect) non profits churches and yale, and other small numbers exempts. Amount is on page 6
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Government/pdfs/Future%20Framework%202008v9.pdf

Total grand list value
4,192,456,244
and of that (drum roll please)
3,117,638,332
is not taxable

HOLY FREAKEN COW right!! I must say it one more time HOLY FREAKEN COW.

Now I get that some think that yale is paying its fair share...hmmmm but out of all of the quote unquote tax exempt or aka in lieu of, how many of those tax exempt entitys make money??? ok really
recently I came up with a way to some it up. Yale is like the single mother that make $25 an hour but still goes to the food pantry to get the free turkey because after all it is still a single mother.
I am sorry bit that truely some it up!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 29, 2008 9:32 PM

ohh one last thing...yale gets my tax dollars using fraud! http://www.justice.gov/usao/ct/Press2008/20081223-1.html
yeah how much more can the law allow them to bend me over :) We must like it... not so sure it is resentment nor should the little guys anger be belittled into simple resentment. What other grants (aka tax dollars) have they received that they should not of. It is a matter of pricaple. And just because they have the money and the loop holes it does not make it right!they are know different than any other low life ripping off the government because they figured out a way how to