Would imposing new taxes on Duluth nonprofits significantly reduce general property taxes?
The proposed ordinance rationalizes the need for extending the property tax to nonprofit institutions by including in its findings the following statement: “That nonprofit institutions own 23.4% of the city’s total property value;” The office of Duluth city assessor Lynn Duncan indicated that the 23.4% figure cited in the proposed ordinance represents the percentage of all tax-exempt property in the city, not just that owned by nonprofit institutions. This percentage would include all government buildings, schools and universities, all other public structures including downtown skyways, statutorily exempt buildings such as churches and buildings located within public cemeteries, in addition to buildings owned and operated by public charities and other nonprofit entities. A total of 925 parcels of property with building value located in the city of Duluth receive tax-exempt status. According to the city assessor, a “very small minority” of those properties are owned by nonprofit institu
