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Town and gown showdown: schools speak out against tuition tax
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The Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education or PCHE, a consortium of local colleges and universities, held a press conference today calling Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s proposed Post-secondary Education Privilege Tax illegal, ill-adviced and unenforceable.
Dr. Mary Hines, president of Carlow University, speaking on behalf of the PCHE, stated that the one percent tax on tuition is unfair to students and a disincentive to attracting students to Pittsburgh’s colleges and universities. Hines pledged, “PCHE will do whatever is necessary to protect our students from being the easy target the Mayor is seeking to solve the City’s financial problems.”
Hines stated that local colleges and universities already make a significant contribution to the city, paying $2.6 million in property taxes last year. Additionally, Hines stated that schools serve as “economic generators to promote places where others want to live, work, play and invest, thus bringing with it more revenues for the City.”
The PCHE believes that Pennsylvania law prohibits the city from levying the tax, thereby making the tax illegal and unenforceable.
PCHE members are Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, Chatham University, Community College of Allegheny County, Duquesne University, La Roche College, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Point Park University, Robert Morris University, and the University of Pittsburgh.
For background on this story see:
City looks to nonprofits to fill $15 million budget gap
Mission Accomplished: Mayor says Pittsburgh’s financial recovery complete
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