Property Tax ExemptionsI would hardly consider our local hospitals to be "exclusively charitable institutions". Seems to begin as a County level decision using a Form PTAX-300 or PTAX-300-R.I wonder if these filings are available for review by the public?

I am not a fan of church's taking on a business concern and then seeking a religious exemption because they feel that business is an extension of their 'ministry'. It isn't just property taxes. There is a whole body of regulations that church affiliated business concerns do not have to follow. It is anti competitive. Schools, daycares, hospitals, nursing homes..... etc should not be exempt and should all be required to follow the same regulations their non-affiliated entities have to follow.

The hospitals contend the value of their charitable spending far exceeds what they would pay in property taxes. Show us - but we - through our city leaders - should have a voice in prioritizing what services/charity is needed. I've long advocated that the Sisters should fund/provide structure for early child care and our most vulnerable families. They don't bill the healthcare charges they do out of the goodness of their hearts.

@Mahkno :Then catholic and other religious schools should receive the same federal and state subsidies as other schools. Right now parents pay taxes for public schools their kids don't attend and tuition for the private school their kids do attend. Are public schools paying property taxes now?

If it passes, Peoria city council would probably create a TIF for each hospital and give them each a $20 million loan to help offset the property tax they would otherwise owe.

Speaking of hospitals... I feel they should be held to the same penalties as other businesses with regards to false fire alarm calls. In Peoria, you as a business are allowed 2 or 3 false fire alarm calls per calendar year. After that, you are billed $120 for each incident .The Peoria Fire department averages at least 1 call per week to OSF St Francis alone, and most are false alarms. But yet the city never sends a bill.

Well when they become money hungry cause they take it for their pockets. They need to get money from some where. Really why would they not pay taxes.

@AV8R :Private non parochial schools in general do not receive significant federal or state subsidies. They are held greater standards than parochial schools, because they cannot claim any religious exemption. We have a couple non-parochial schools in Peoria... Peoria Academy and Montessori School of Peoria.Several of the local catholic schools do draw upon Title I funding.

@AV8R :Public schools are state/government institutions. There is no comparison.

1st they need to be appraised to see what taxes they would/should pay there is NO way OSF is giving away the kinda care their tax bill would equal. Betting they own couple square miles of property some in VERY desirable areas so worth even more. Of course they have to value the buildings just like they do for the rest of us and improvements mean worth MORE taxes. The fact that a lot of their building are only few years old is going to run up bill as well.

I get a $500.00 tax credit for the private school tuition I pay...it doesn't come close to the tuition, though.

I think the entire not for profit status needs to be scrutinized or defined differently, for all entities, not just hosptials.I also think just because an entity is income tax exempt that should not automatically make it property tax exempt.

Take away OSF's tax exempt status?? I've seen the amount that OSF writes off to charity. It's a staggering figure. I know first hand that when an ambulance picks up a patient and there is even the slightest concern as to whether the patient has insurance, they are taken directly to OSF. And we all know the State is broke and not reliable when it comes to paying for those without insurance. And now the Republicans are getting ready to repeal ObamaCare which could very well cause millions of folks to lose their insurance. It's a tough time to be in the health care business. Thankfully OSF is weathering the storm the best they can, so as to keep thousands of folks employed in the Peoria area.

I thought we all had to have insurance? I don't want it, but I'm forced to either have it or pay a penalty. What gives.

you play by the rules, that's what gives. The penalty is a "fine" added to your federal income tax...but if you don't work, or work for cash only, then you don't give a crap about any tax "fine"