Pittsburgh Looking at UPMC Tax-Exempt Property

We had noted before the intent of the city of Pittsburgh to look into whether tax-exempt properties in the city are entitled to exemption from property tax. That project is proceeding forward. According to the latest article:

“Mayor Ed Gainey will challenge the tax-exempt status of 26 Pittsburgh properties, he said Tuesday, as part of a new legal strategy to address a longtime problem. The list — including a handful of properties owned by UPMC — is the first piece of follow-through on a plan he unveiled in January to root out tax-exempt properties in Pittsburgh that shouldn’t qualify for exemption under Pennsylvania law. 

The plan is at once Gainey’s biggest initiative to bolster the city’s finances and to extract greater support from UPMC. Gainey ran for office promising to make the healthcare giant pay “its fair share,” and city officials have warned that the city’s revenue will need a boost ahead of the end of federal pandemic relief funds next year. 

The 26 challenged properties range from Oakland condominiums with assessed values in the millions to a vacant lot in the North Side assessed at $800.”

Philip Hackney