More than two years after filing an application with the New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection, the University Cottage Club was denied its petition to attain property tax-exempt status.
In July 2001, Cottage attorney Thomas Olson filed a petition for historic property certification that would exempt Cottage from local property taxes.
DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell notified Olson of the state's negative decision on Oct. 17.
"As a private club, the building and property of the University Cottage Club are not and cannot be freely accessible on a regular basis to the public," Bradley Campbell wrote to Olson.
Princeton Borough Mayor Marvin Reed took notice of Cottage's bid in 2002. The Borough's tax assessor received a letter from the DEP's Office of Historic Preservation recommending acceptance of Cottage's application.
But Cottage represents about $50,000 worth of property taxes a year, Reed said. He said that if Cottage's request were granted, the other eating clubs on Prospect Ave. would likely follow suit in the future, and the Borough could lose close to half a million dollars of property tax revenue used to finance public education.
"The amount would have to be made up by raising other residents' property taxes," Reed said.
Reed said he immediately began inquiring at the state level about Cottage's application.
"We protested [the application] quite vigorously and approached a number of legislators," Reed said. "Basically, I was assured that the recommendation would be dismissed when it got to higher authorities."
One of the legislators with whom Reed communicated was State Assemblyman Reed Gusciora.
"Reed expressed concern," Gusciora said. "It was a state issue, but he was most concerned that [Cottage's tax-exemption] may provide a precedent for the other clubs."
He said the lack of public access to the club was ultimately the reason Cottage was denied the designation, though, because the public is not benefited by the club's historic property.
"Essentially, it comes down to the fact that the eating clubs are looking for a free ride," Gusciora said. "That's fine if you want to be a historical designation, but the public should be allowed to participate. I should be able to be invited to the parties if I'm a Princeton Borough taxpayer helping to maintain Cottage Club."
Campbell told Olson that any future applications that do not meet "objectively reasonable standards of public accessibility" would also be denied tax-exempt status.
Cottage is not the first eating club to file for tax-exempt status. Tower Club filed for — and won — tax-exempt status in 1972 by hosting University preceptorials. Since that time, Tower has remained the only tax-exempt club on the Street.
"Ever since that time, we've been especially aware that nothing like that slides by again," Reed said.
Neither Cottage Club president John Richmond nor Olson could be reached for comment.
Read More
As endowment tax looms, Princeton asks departments to make plans for ‘permanent’ budget cuts, warns of potential layoffs
Christopher Bao and Annie RupertusPrinceton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Princeton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Newark airport disruptions snarl student travel plans
Cynthia TorresNewark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. As a result, some students flying home for the summer have changed their flights.
Newark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. Some students flying home for the summer and may be effected by delays and some students changed their flights.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ’03 ‘plagiarized’ small portions of his senior thesis, experts say. But how serious is it?
Sena ChangA review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.
A review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.