Re: [UC] Pennsylvania Budget Woes

[Glenn moyer]

Roger,   The former Penn hotel on 34th St is a good example of the need to review these concepts.  Penn took this building off of the tax roles to make tax exempt offices. That's why they wanted to maximize profit on the land at 40th and Pine with a hotel.  The suburban folks are making lots of profit in that office building that they might not make inside HUP.    We once called the modern university priorities of important people, "conflict of interest."   In Kiswahili, we say "kitu kidogo."  (It means a "little something" for me.)    You would think the 60% fee the university takes from taxpayer funded grants would be enough to support the mission of research, which was a primary function of universities at one time.   (You don't think the UCD geniuses thought of that ratio on their own, do you?)   But consider,  without the tax exempt windfalls for Christian empires, we might not have a vibrant "moral majority," Swaggert ministries, etc.  So yes...     "This may be a sacrilige"    But don't worry Roger, Cat Stevens and I will save a spot in the torture chamber for you.  The Cat is guilty of crimes against holy war for encouraging people to "jump on the peace train."   And I once said, "I thought Jesus loved the poor people."  We'll reserve an upscale water board for your first night!    Glenn -----Original Message----- From: Vincent/Roger Sent: Oct 4, 2009 11:15 PM To: University City List Subject: [UC] Pennsylvania Budget Woes This may be a sacrilige, but I think that as long as we have sales and property taxes, then why shouldn't every operation have to pay them?  [For example, schools, universities, churches.]   Granting exemptions to these groups skews the real cost of these organizations.  I guess most of them do perform a real public service, but then so do cafes, to name just one example (chosen at random).   Just sayin' .... Roger ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see .