Charter schools in Cook County have been exempt from paying property taxes for several years, the result of debate on the state level. A moratorium on taxes for the county’s charter schools was set under former Cook County Assessor Ted Mershon as the state tried to decide the status of charter schools and property taxes. Last week, Eugene Piccolo, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools, informed charter schools that the legislature had made a decision and Governor Tim Pawlenty had signed a bill into law that ensures tax-exempt status for charter schools.
On April 1, 2010, Governor Pawlenty signed MN chapter 216 (H.F. 2695), which includes a provision that exempts property leased to charter schools by government or non-profit organizations from property taxes. The exemption goes into effect for assessments beginning in 2010 for taxes payable in 2011 and beyond. This does not exempt property owned by private parties or profits landlords earn through leasing to charter schools.
Current County Assessor Mary Black said, “With this decision, the two schools that could possibly be required to pay property taxes will continue to be exempt.”
Black said the Grand Portage charter school, Oshki Ogimaag, has always been exempt from county property taxes because it is on tribal land, owned by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
The Birch Grove Community School, owned by the town of Tofte, is valued at $321,000. Great Expectations School in Grand Marais is valued at $539,000.
School District 166, which includes Sawtooth Mountain Elementary, Cook County Middle School and High School at its Grand Marais campus, is valued at $13.8 million. It is also tax-exempt.
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