If the Cambridge City Council has its way, the University will pay at least $140,000 per year in taxes or in lieu of taxes on the new Married Students Housing Complex.
The Council gave unanimous consent to a resolution by Councillor Walter J. Sullivan which requests the City Manager to arrange for Harvard and M.I.T. to pay taxes or an amount in lieu of taxes on married student apartment buildings "of at least fifty per cent of the assessed value of the property."
University officials have estimated that the multi-million dollar complex to be built below Dunster House could be worth about $200,000 in taxes to the City.
Charles P. Whitlock, assistant to the President for Civic Affairs, said last night that "the University will consider the needs of the City in its plans for the married students housing project."
The University will offer some annual payment in lieu of taxes to the City, because many of the couples living in the married students project will have children who attend Cambridge schools and use City facilities. The final amount which the University will offer to the City is expected to be considerably under $140,000.
Next week, the University will ask the Council to close off Sterling and Bank streets, two roads in the middle of the project site. The request will be discussed at a public hearing on June 18 or 25. According to Whitlock, who along with L. Gard Wiggins, administrative vice-president, will represent the University at the hearing, "the tax question will presumably be discussed then."
When first introduced yesterday, Sullivan's resolution did not contain any provision for possible payment in lieu of taxes. The bill was immediately opposed by Councillor G. d'Andelot Belin, who asserted that "the City cannot legally tax these dorms."
"I don't mind a bit of reasonable fun with Harvard from time to time," Belin declared, "but I don't like to see the City Council in favor of something prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth."
Belin agreed to the resolution, however, when it was amended to include negotiation over "an amount in lieu of taxes."
Read more in News
Yogurt Price Protester Is ArrestedRecommended Articles
-
Graham Criticizes Harvard PaymentHarvard should "absolutely" pay more money to the city of Cambridge than it currently does, State Rep. Saundra Graham said
-
Council Debates University Tax StatusHarvard was the topic of discussion at last night's City Council meeting, as city administrators presented a detailed report explaining
-
Harvard to Pay $40M for Boston LandFor two years Harvard and the City of Boston have been wrangling over what the University owes its community. They've
-
City Criticizes Low Harvard PaymentsCambridge City Councillors are increasingly agitated over what they say are the "woefully inadequate" payments in-lieu-of-taxes that Harvard gives to
-
The Bulging BudgetNew York City--the nation's largest muncipality--spends more money each year than any government in the United States but the federal
-
City to Ask State For Relief From 2 1/2The Cambridge City Council last night voted to ask the state legislature for permission to enact measures to offset the
