When it comes to building a thriving community, everyone has a part to play and a contribution to make. Lately, there is a great deal of debate in Lowell and other Massachusetts communities about the responsibilities of nonprofits. Nonprofits are exempted from paying property tax. They are granted this special status because they provide important benefits to their communities beyond what is expected of corporations or individuals. Because they work for the public good, nonprofits reduce the overall burden on government. They do this not by paying taxes but by helping people and by solving problems in our society, particularly in Gateway Cities such as Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Springfield and Worcester.
However, in these tight economic times, policy-makers are hungry for new sources of revenue. One idea is to pressure the nonprofits to pay a PILOT — a payment in lieu of taxes. We put much at risk if we forget why we have always treated nonprofits differently than individuals and businesses.
Nonprofits are the engines that create genuine community, quality of life and opportunity, especially for people from less privileged backgrounds. The burden nonprofits place on our government is tiny compared to the social and economic benefits they create. This is true for our smallest and largest nonprofits.
Most churches, schools and hospitals are nonprofits. So are your local food pantry, homeless shelter, civic organizations and community college. The YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs and other youth centers that keep our kids off the streets are nonprofits. Almost every museum, cultural and performing arts organization operates as a nonprofit. Imagine your community without them. What would be left?
Every dollar we take from them for the government, regardless of our intention, is another dollar they have to raise or another dollar of service they cannot provide.
Let’s not make it harder for them to survive or more expensive for them to do their good work in our communities.
Nancy L. Donahue
Lowell
