Galloway Education v. Township of Galloway

New Jersey Tax Court·Decided June 24, 2022·No. 005841-2020 011744-2021·Unpublished

Opinion

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE TAX COURT COMMITTEE ON OPINIONS

------------------------------------------------------x GALLOWAY EDUCATION, LLC, :

: TAX COURT OF NEW JERSEY Plaintiff, : DOCKET NO: 005841-2020 : 011744-2021 v. :

:

TOWNSHIP OF GALLOWAY, :

:

Defendant. :

:

------------------------------------------------------x

Decided: June 24, 2022.

Michael E. Sullivan for plaintiff (Parker McCay P.A., attorneys;

Michael J. Coskey and Matthew S. Oorbeck, on the brief).

Thomas G. Smith for defendant (Law Offices of Thomas G. Smith, attorney).

CIMINO, J.T.C.

INTRODUCTION.

Plaintiff, taxpayer Galloway Education, LLC (taxpayer) is the named landlord of a property leased to the Atlantic Community Charter School, Inc. (ACCS). Taxpayer now seeks exemption from property taxes as a not-for-profit entity. However, the for-profit representative of the various bondholders which financed the purchase of the property has the essential powers of a landlord by virtue of the

terms of the lease and other governing documents. With the bondholder representative as the de facto landlord, the motion for summary judgment as to the exemption is denied.

STATEMENT OF FACTS.

The Atlantic Community Charter School, Inc. (ACCS), a New Jersey not-for-

profit corporation, has been issued a charter by the New Jersey Department of Education since 2014 to operate a charter school pursuant to the Charter School

Program Act of 1995. ---

See N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-1 to -18. Under the Act, a school

receives payment from the sending districts it serves, in this case, the City of Atlantic City, City of Absecon, Township of Egg Harbor, Township of Galloway, and the City of Pleasantville. This payment consists of a per pupil amount as determined by a formula that takes into account the cost to educate students from the sending districts. N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-12. ACCS receives approximately $16,000 per student enrolled. To operate the school, ACCS has a contract with CSMI, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company.

When the school initially opened in September of 2014, it was located in Atlantic City. The facilities consisted of mobile trailers used as temporary classrooms which limited the number of students that could be enrolled. At the start of the 2016 to 2017 academic year, ACCS moved to the property in Galloway

Township which is the subject of this appeal. The property was formerly used by another charter school. ACCS did not own the land, but rather leased the facility.

With expanding enrollment, ACCS sought to expand the school facilities.

Comprehensive Recovery Services, Inc., a nonprofit corporation of the State of Colorado, established Galloway Education, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The limited liability company agreement of Galloway Education, LLC, indicates that it is a “[company] organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, benevolent, fraternal, charitable, and reformatory purposes and not for pecuniary profit.” The sole member which has all the interest in Galloway Education is Comprehensive Recovery Services.

To fund the expansion project, bonds which totaled $11,165,000 were sold by Galloway Education to investors of Hamlin Capital Management, LLC, a for-profit investment firm located in New York. Hamlin is designated the Bondholder Representative so long as the majority of the outstanding bonds are owned by persons for whom Hamlin serves as an investment advisor. The proceeds of the bonds were utilized by Galloway Education to purchase the land and construct an addition to the school. Wilmington Trust is designated as the trustee and handled the disbursements during construction as well as collecting the payments on the bond and forwarding those payments to the bondholders.

There is a lease agreement between Galloway Education and ACCS. A review of the lease reveals that the Bondholder Representative is mentioned some 120 times. However, a closer review of the lease agreement reveals that the Bondholder Representative exercises significant control as would a landlord. Upon default of ACCS, the Bondholder Representative may “elect to terminate this Lease . . .” Lease Agreement between Galloway Education and ACCS (Lease) ¶ 29(B)(iii) (Feb. 21, 2019). Also, “[t]he Bondholder Representative may sue for and collect Rent, Additional Rent and any other charges due hereunder . . .” Lease ¶ 29(B) (last paragraph prior to ¶ 29(C)). And, the “Bondholder Representative may enter and expel [ACCS] . . . and remove the effects . . . (using such force for such purposes as may be lawful and necessary) without being liable for prosecution . . .” Lease ¶ 29(B)(iv). The “Bondholder Representative, acting for the Landlord, may, without any further demand or notice to [ACCS], . . .enter the Property and market the Property for sale . . .” Lease ¶ 29(B) (at end after (xi)). In addition, the Bondholder representative may “employ a consultant, at [ACCS’] expense, to make recommendations with respect to the operations of [ACCS], which

recommendations [ACCS] is obligated to follow.” ---

Ibid.

Even outside default, the Bondholder Representative has significant control over the property. The Bondholder Representative must consent to any change in use of the property. Lease ¶ 8(A). ACCS “shall not assign this Lease or sublet the

Leased Property in whole or in part without the consent of . . . the Bondholder Representative.” Lease ¶ 9(A). “Any and all trade fixtures appliances, furniture and other moveable furnishings and equipment constituting personal property in the School Facility which are or have been paid for or financed by Landlord (. . .) . . . may not be removed from the School Facility by [ACCS] at any time . . . without the prior written consent of . . . the Bondholder Representative, unless contemporaneously replaced with similar property of comparable or better quality.” Lease ¶ 11. Moreover, [ACCS] has indemnified the Bondholder Representative as to any environmental claims. Lease ¶ 13(E). Except for minor work, modifications and additions cannot be made to the property without the consent of the Bondholder Representative. Lease ¶ 20(A). Repairs of any damages require the Bondholder Representative’s consent as well. Lease ¶ 15(A).

Any change in the lease is required to have the written consent of the Bondholder Representative. Lease ¶ 35. This is evidenced by the amendments to the lease which reveal a sign-off from the Bondholder Representative. See First Amendment to Lease Agreement (Mar. 1, 2019) and Second Amendment to Lease Agreement (June 1, 2020). In the event that ACCS violates any easements, development agreements, and such, that govern and regulate the development of the leased property, ACCS agrees to indemnify the Bondholder Representative of any

failure to comply. Lease ¶ 22(D). The Bondholder Representative can also dictate certain insurance requirements of ACCS. Lease ¶ 16(A).

The Bondholder Representative is also empowered to inspect the property.

Lease ¶ 30. “If [ACCS] has not exercised the applicable option to extend this Lease, . . . the Bondholder Representative . . . shall thereafter have the right to enter the Leased Property at all reasonable times for the purpose of exhibiting the Leased Property to others . . . .” Lease ¶ 32(A). In addition, if the lease is not renewed, the Bondholder Representative, can place “for sale” and “for rent” signs on the property.

Ibid. ---

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