Friday, June 17, 2005
I am writing in support of the idea of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (Pilot) Program and the research program passed by the Town Meeting Thursday evening, June 9.
Yes, a non-profit cannot be forced to pay a tax by any other name but they should, if able, be good enough neighbors to help defray the cost of various services used.
As an example: we at Narrow Path Ministries are seeking property to operate a Christian shelter for battered women and a separate Christian male and female halfway house. Residents need not be Christians, but they must be willing to live by Christian principles. We would address the housing, employment and counseling issues as secular programs do, but we would go a step further and address the underlying issues and their relationship with God.
We want to address the repeating cycle of abuse and crime that seems to fester and cost the government untold millions. It is no different than performing preventive maintenance on your car to avoid costly repairs.
From the beginning we have proposed that we would pay some amount, in lieu of taxes, after three years of operation. Certainly much larger and well funded non-profits could work something out. I would be willing to work with or on the PILOT Program committee to further the Town Meeting's intent.
REV. PAUL N. PAPAS II
Framingham
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