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Alder Adam Marchand named to commission on pilot programs and revenue lobbying; pledges broadened scope on nonprofit tax exemptions
Summary
Adam Marchand was appointed to the commission on pilot programs and revenue lobbying and said the body should study both state aid and potential revenue from major nonprofit partners who hold tax‑exempt property.
The Board of Alders appointed Adam Marchand to the commission on pilot programs and revenue lobbying and heard his view that the commission should take a broader approach to New Haven’s revenue shortfalls.
Marchand told alder members the commission was created by a 1985 ordinance to coordinate the city’s efforts to secure state funds for tax losses tied to exempt properties. He said the underlying fiscal issue has intensified: “a huge percentage of our real estate grand list is exempt,” Marchand said, adding that the exempt portion of the grand list has grown because nonprofits have expanded and intensified development on their campuses.
Marchand said the commission’s original charge — to pursue additional state dollars such as colleges and universities pilot payments — remains important. But he said the commission should also consider voluntary payments and other revenue streams from major nonprofit partners, calling for outreach to stakeholders named in the ordinance, state legislators and institutional partners. “I think it would be my intention as we move forward with this to broaden the scope,” Marchand said.
He described past voluntary arrangements with Yale that produced an additional $56 million over six years and noted that that agreement expires in 2027. Marchand said the commission lacks enforcement authority; its role is research and recommendations. He told the board he will research the commission’s history and recommended a first meeting in the fall with the goal of preparing for the next state legislative session.
Alder questions focused on the commission’s duties and whether it would concentrate on lobbying the Connecticut General Assembly for more aid or expand to pursue other revenue sources and partnerships. Alder Galvin (Ward 28) asked whether the commission would “be doing some research and lobbying the state for said funds.” Marchand replied that both state lobbying and pursuing other revenue sources would be part of the commission’s work.
The alder body moved and seconded Marchand’s appointment and carried the motion; the hearing record does not show a roll‑call tally in the provided transcript.
