It's Time for U. Penn to Pay its Fair Share

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It's Time for U. Penn to Pay its Fair Share

President Amy Gutmann

Philadelphia's schools are in crisis. Meanwhile, mega-nonprofits like the University of Pennsylvania continue to expand--while remaining exempt from paying the property taxes that fund the school district.

U. Penn prides itself on being "the civic Ivy," and it's the biggest university in the city. It's time for U. Penn President Amy Gutmann to set an example for other schools and hospitals by beginning to give back a little towards the city that gives Penn so much.

Sponsored by

Philadelphia Jobs with Justice

To: President Amy Gutmann
From: [Your Name]

President Gutmann:

With an endowment of $7.7 billion, the University of Pennsylvania is thriving. Meanwhile,
Philadelphia is in crisis: we can’t afford to keep our schools open, and our essential
services are dangerously underfunded. U. Penn owns the most nonprofit property of
any university in any major city, but most of its properties are tax-exempt.

We call on you, the president of U. Penn, to commit the university to annual PILOT
payments of 6.6 million dollars--0.1% of your annual budget—to the city,
earmarked for public schools and essential services.