April 14, 2010; Jersey Journal | What a pleasure to see Jersey City, New Jersey turn down the tempting opportunity to tax college students. The city has refused to place a tax on otherwise tax-exempt colleges. The New Jersey League of Municipalities has already come out in favor of asking the legislature to allow cities to place annual “fees” on full-time college students of $100 and $50 on part-time students. A Jersey City Councilman proposed that the state’s second city endorse the League’s request to the legislature. But the wisdom of the majority of the City Council prevailed and they turned down the idea. Of course, Jersey City’s colleges aren’t quite Harvard and MIT. They would have been taxing students at small, local, largely commuter schools like St. Peter College, the New Jersey City University (formerly Jersey City State), and Hudson County Community College. It’s good to see that the city’s political decision-makers showed wisdom, understanding, and compassion, else the fees on the working students at St Peter’s and Hudson County Community College would eased the way toward taxing other tax exempts in the city.—Rick Cohen
About The Author
Rick joined NPQ in 2006, after almost eight years as the executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). Before that he played various roles as a community worker and advisor to others doing community work. He also worked in government. Cohen pursued investigative and analytical articles, advocated for increased philanthropic giving and access for disenfranchised constituencies, and promoted increased philanthropic and nonprofit accountability.
