Since a public work session two weeks ago, tensions have risen between Borough Council members, local residents and University officials over the impact of University plans for expansion on Borough tax rolls.
Though the proposed arts neighborhood, to be constructed in the area surrounding the Dinky and the Wawa, will most likely lead to increased tax revenue for the Borough, the University's increasing ownership of Borough land is cause for concern, Borough Councilman Andrew Koontz said in an interview yesterday.
"It's not in the interest of the community for the University to acquire property that is currently on the tax rolls," he said. As the University expands within the Borough, the Borough becomes more dependent on the University's tax contribution, which is motivated by goodwill. Tax contributions from non-University owned Borough properties are mandatory.
"The current situation puts the Borough in a tough position," Koontz said. "It's certainly not in our interest to see our current land further eroded."
As the University constructs new, officially tax-exempt buildings, it will increase its financial contribution to the Borough. The University makes voluntary contributions to the Borough that increase in proportion with expansion.
Current University plans for expansion incorporate land in the Borough and the Township. The arts neighborhood is geographically split between the two. The plan, which calls for the relocation of the Dinky, will most likely move the stop from the Borough to the Township, Koontz said.
Plans also call for the University to buy the land currently housing the Sunoco gas station on Alexander Road. "That's tax revenue out of the Princeton Township," he said.
University officials argued, however, that expansion would ultimately have a positive impact on Borough tax revenues. The proposed arts neighborhood will increase the number of properties on the Borough tax rolls, University Vice President and Secretary Bob Durkee '69 said.
"I'm confident there will be new taxpaying properties on that space — retail space and parking spaces," he said.
As the University has not yet finalized plans for the arts neighborhood, concrete predictions of the increases in tax revenues have yet to be released.
"You would have to compare existing property with the property to be developed, and then you would know ... what [the] additional tax revenue might be," Durkee said.
The University also contributes to affordable housing in the Borough in proportion to new construction, Durkee said.
Though the current Borough ordinance requiring developers to support affordable housing is facing a legal challenge, the University continues to honor its required contribution.
The construction of the Operations Research and Financial Engineering building has resulted in the University's funding of five units of affordable housing, defined as low to moderate income units, for which residents do not pay more than 30 percent of their income.
Borough zoning officer Derek Bridger said "the University went beyond what they had to do" in constructing the housing units. "It's an instance where we're working together."
The arts neighborhood expansion would also have a growth share requirement, Bridger said, explaining that while no details have been finalized, either an affordable housing component or an increase in contribution to the Borough would be part of any development.
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