HARTFORD – Mary-Jane Foster, vice president for university relations at the University of Bridgeport, just testified against one of Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey’s centerpiece bills for the legislative session. The bill would allow cities and towns “to tax any real and personal property acquired after July 1, 2016, by private nonprofit institutions of higher learning, nonprofit general hospital facilities, freestanding chronic disease hospitals and certain urgent care facilities,” according to the bill summary.
“The university, its alumni, faculty, students and visitors contribute $65 million to the city of Bridgeport,” she said of the currently tax-exempt institution. “We produce 2.6 percent of the city’s revenue yet account for one 1.3 percent of the city’s expenditures…We are deeply concerned about the changes proposed in this bill as well as other proposed legislation that will impact our ability to grow, thrive and deliver a workforce ready to contribute to Connecticut’s economy.”