Planned Parenthood of Bergen County, Inc. v. Hackensack City

12 N.J. Tax 598
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 30, 1992
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 12 N.J. Tax 598 (Planned Parenthood of Bergen County, Inc. v. Hackensack City) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Planned Parenthood of Bergen County, Inc. v. Hackensack City, 12 N.J. Tax 598 (N.J. Super. Ct. 1992).

Opinion

SMALL, J.T.C.

This case requires me to determine whether the portion of the land and improvements of a commercial condominium owned and occupied by Planned Parenthood of Greater Northern New Jersey (“Planned Parenthood”) is exempt from local property taxation pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6 (the “statute”).

Planned Parenthood’s application for tax exemption pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6 for Block 506, Lot 42 and Block 507, Lot 18, for the tax year 1990, was denied by the assessor of Hackensack. The Bergen County Board of Taxation upheld the assessor’s denial of the exemption and this action followed. My analysis of the facts and the law leads me to conclude that the determinations of the assessor and the county board were incorrect and that both parcels qualify for the requested exemption.

Planned Parenthood and its predecessor organizations have been organized since 1937 as a not-for-profit corporation under Title 15A and its predecessor statutes. Its principal office is at 575 Main Street in Hackensack. Its interest in this property is the subject of this action.

In 1985, the Appellate Division found that the exemption from local property taxation authorized by N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6 did not apply to plaintiff’s interest in the subject property on the sole ground that at that time part of the property was leased to and used by the State of New Jersey, a non-qualifying organization.1 Since 1988, however, the State has vacated that space. [602]*602In 1989, a condominium association was formed and a master deed filed. N.J.S.A. 46:8B-1 et seq. Planned Parenthood now owns the second floor, as well as 53% of the common elements of the condominium. The Children’s Aid and Adoption Society (“CAAS”), a nonprofit charitable organization, owns the first floor (the space formerly occupied by the State) and the remaining 47% of the common elements of the condominium.

The subject property’s parking lot is located immediately across the street from the building and is part of the common elements of the condominium association, although listed and taxed as a separate line item for real property tax purposes.

Having found that occupancy by CAAS, unlike occupancy by the State of New Jersey, would have qualified Planned Parenthood for an exemption in 1982 under the earlier Appellate Division decision, it would be simple to conclude my analysis. Four considerations prevent that. (1) A qualification for an exemption is not permanent. Taxable status, like value, must be determined on an annual basis as there may be a change in the use or ownership of the property. N.J.S.A. 54:4-4.4; Boys’ Club of Clifton, Inc. v. Township of Jefferson, 72 N.J. 389, 405, 371 A.2d 22 (1977); Division of Taxation, Handbook for New Jersey Assessors § 320.1 (1989). (2) The statute, N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6, was amended in 1985, modifying the language which grants the exemption claimed by Planned Parenthood.* 2 (3) Between [603]*6031982 and 1989 the property was converted to a condominium form of ownership. See generally N.J.S.A. 46:8B-1 et seq. What might have been exempt if owned by Planned Parenthood and used exclusively by a qualifying tenant may not be eligible for exemption if held as a condominium. (4) In 1985, the Appellate Division, as cited above, concluded that Planned Parenthood did not qualify for the exemption as a result of the non-exclusive use of the property for charitable purposes, therefore, it did not need to thoroughly examine whether Planned Parenthood met the exemption statute’s other requirements. Furthermore, it appears that in the prior litigation Hackensack did not challenge Planned Parenthood’s qualifications as a charitable organization under N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.6. In this case it does. The court’s statement that Planned Parenthood would have qualified (but for its non-exclusive use) was not a holding of that case.

/.

Facts.

At trial, Jeffrey Brand, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood, testified as to its organization and operation. Sev[604]*604eral documents were placed into evidence to support his testimony.3

Planned Parenthood is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is recognized as a tax exempt organization by the United States Post Office. It is exempt from sales tax (N.J.S.A. 54:32B-1 et seq.) and corporation business tax (N.J.S.A. 54.-10A-1 et seq.) by the State of New Jersey.4 N.J.S.A. 54:32B-9(b)(l) and N.J.S.A. 54:10A-3(e).

The corporate charter specifies the three purposes for which Planned Parenthood is organized:

The purpose for which this corporation is formed are [1] to promote scientific research and education relating to the medical, sociological, economic and public health aspects of birth control; [2] to operate a medically supervised center where underprivileged mothers may receive contraceptive information or treatment when prescribed by physicians in conformity with the laws of the State of New Jersey; and [3] to operate with state or national birth control leagues in the exchange of information and data for the purposes of maintaining efficient and high standards of medical service and in gathering the scientific records and data used by such leagues.

The testimony of Brand and the by-laws confirm that Planned Parenthood is organized and operated consistent with its corporate charter. The by-laws state that its purpose is:

[605]*605[t]o improve health and quality of life for individuals, families and society by educating people about family planning and reproductive rights, and providing quality reproductive health care.

Forty-five percent of the approximately 7,000 reproductive health care patients seen by Planned Parenthood each year have incomes either at or below the poverty level set by the federal government, and 8% of those patients are eligible for Medicaid as a consequence of their income. Further, a substantial portion of Plaintiffs clients have no other health care. Plaintiff provides medical care without regard to ability to pay in the form of gynecological examinations, contraception, cancer screening, AIDS testing, testing and treatment of venereal disease, and all forms of reproductive health care.

The fees charged are generally significantly lower than private sector fees, often only a few dollars above cost for examinations, tests, and medication. Fees are based on a sliding scale incorporating both family size and income level and adjustments can be made to the fees based on specific personal needs. While patients are encouraged to pay for services received, no patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay, nor is payment pursued through collection agencies or litigation.

Approximately 50% of Planned Parenthood’s operating budget comes from public funds, private contributions, and service fees. Of that amount, private contributions represent between 17% and 24%. Fees charged to clients represent only 36% to 38% of the annual operating expenses of Planned Parenthood.

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Bluebook (online)
12 N.J. Tax 598, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/planned-parenthood-of-bergen-county-inc-v-hackensack-city-njtaxct-1992.