By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – The question about whether hospitals in Illinois can be exempt from paying property taxes if they claim a certain level of charity care is now up to the seven justices of the Illinois Supreme Court.
The high court heard the case Thursday in Springfield involving Carle Foundation Hospital seeking exemption from paying property taxes in Urbana.
Attorney Steve Pflaum represents the Carle Foundation Hospital and said they hope the state’s high court clarifies state law “to tackle the constitutional issue and to provide clarity not just for Carle Foundation and for the public entities in Champaign county, but statewide.”
Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing hopes the court rules the hospitals should pay property taxes.
“Why should the most profitable companies in the state be shifting their burden on to every other business and every homeowner,” she said. “Is that the right thing to do in this state? I don’t think so. And this is a national problem. It’s not just happening in Illinois.”
Prussing said one issue she hopes the court clarifies is what hospital-owned properties are exempt from paying property taxes.
“I have two clinics on Windsor Road in Urbana: one of them pays property taxes and the other one does not,” she said. “The one that pays property taxes is part of a clinic that is not associated with the hospital, but the one that’s with the hospital doesn’t pay property taxes. Does this make any sense? They’re both doing the same job.”
Pflaum said it’s unclear how the court would rule on the case.
“When only one or two justices speak about a particular issue, it’s hard to know what the other justices are thinking,” he said.
According to a court spokesperson, there’s no timeline for when the court would provide a ruling.
