Ill. rules against Provena in property-tax case

From Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose:

The director of the Illinois Department of Revenue [link] rejected an appeal by Provena Health, Mokena, Ill. [link], in a widely watched property-tax exemption case. [See previous posts here, here, and here.] In doing so, the director overruled an administrative law judge in the department who had sided with the not-for-profit system. Provena said it "will quickly and aggressively appeal" department director Brian Hamer's decision [news release]. At stake is some $1.5 million in annual property taxes, according to county tax officials. Provena has paid taxes on property in Urbana, Ill., including its 120-bed hospital there and medical-office buildings, since 2003, while the system appealed the state's initial denial of its request for a property-tax exemption. Rejecting the administrative law judge's ruling in favor of an exemption, Hamer said the property was not used exclusively for charitable purposes.

Last month, the Chicago Tribune reported "the cost to the hospital has been nearly $5 million since it lost its tax-exempt status in January 2003. The hospital says the taxes have been a drain on its balance sheet. The hospital lost $7.9 million last year on $127.9 million in revenue and is projecting a loss again this year." Hospital losing money as tax-exempt appeal languishes, Chicago Tribune, Sept. 7, 2006.