The Penn Board of Trustees has REFUSED to have a conversation about PILOTs at their upcoming Finance Committee Meeting on Thursday. In lieu of an info session, we’re hosting a People’s Board Meeting on the same day: Thursday September 24th from 6-7!

Thousands of members of the Penn community have been petitioning and protesting for Penn to pay their fair share to Philly’s public schools. The school district is largely funded by property taxes and Penn doesn’t pay any at all despite being the largest private landowner in the entire city! For years Philadelphians have been witness to the crumbling infrastructure, the severe understaffing, the toxic levels of lead and asbestos in their public schools. At Penn, they see administrative compensation packages in the millions, they see brand new dorm buildings filling every square foot of open space on Penn’s campus, and they see the largest private police force in the state patrolling their neighborhoods. According to the New York Times, the median family income of a student from Penn was $195,500 in 2017. That same year, according to the Inquirer, the median household income in Philadelphia was about $45,000.

Organizations like Penn for PILOTs, Philly Jobs With Justice, Penn Community for Justice, and many others have been calling for Payments In Lieu Of Taxes, or PILOTs from Penn. Each year, Penn and other wealthy nonprofits would pay 40% for what they would owe if they were taxed like everyone else. While you don’t have to be an expert to know that Penn should be accountable for its impact on our public schools, there’s a lot to learn!

Join Philly Jobs With Justice on Thursday, September 24th from 6-7PM. You’ll learn more about the campaign for an Education Equity Find and get answers to questions including: How have PILOTs worked in Philly? And in other cities? Why is Penn refusing to pay? Can Penn afford it? Where would the money go?

The presentation will take place via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87022496797