Once again cities are turning to nonprofits, not only to provide the critical services that fill-in the voids the public sector doesn't address after its first priorities and/or are created by the failings of the for-profit sectors decisions to chose profits over everything elese.
Take for example the City of Providence, Rhode Island and Brown University. Now, admitedly, Brown has a lot of money in savings and it's a really big non-exempt property holder currently paying the same city-determained amount owed by all property holders who aren't tax-exempt. But Providence wants Brown to pay a much larger amount in the form of a PILOT (payment in liew of taxes). The impact on Providence would certainly be favorable but what about the long-range impact on Brown? If it paid what was asked, would it retain its economic security not to mention provide the added value that comes from bringing business to town? Likely not at the rate the city wants it to pay.
See the Wall Street Journal for the story.