The Department of Revenue has upheld a decision by the Champaign County Board of Review to get rid of Carle Foundation Hospital's tax exempt status. The decision targets five Carle locations, including two main hospital buildings, the power plant, Carle's day care center, and The Guest House for families of critically ill patients. Carle Foundation Chief Financial Officer, Rob Tonkinson says they are clearly a charitable institution. He says the hospital has been paying the taxes, in protest, since Champaign County's initial decision in 2004. Now with the state backing that decision, he says it will hurt their service. "Clearly it's going to take millions of dollars away from us," said Tonkinson, "which in the long run is going to hurt our ability to provide the care and services that this community needs." Tonkinson added they will be appealing the Department of Revenue's decision. As of now, the extra tax money is being distributed throughout the community. Urbana's District 116 Schools is the biggest recipient of the tax money, at about one million dollars a year, next is the city of Urbana at $200,000. But if the decision is overturned, they have to pay it back. So for now, they say they are sitting tight. "We don't want to make plans for that money and then have to turn around and pay it back, so we're putting it aside until we know that all of the appeals process is complete and we know it's ours permanently," said District 116 Director of Business, Carol Baker. Baker said the money would mean good things for the district so she hopes the decision stands. "We've reduced our budget over the last few years by millions of dollars because of cutbacks." said Baker. "If we could start to add back programs we cut, as well as add new programs... we always have needs for money and new things so we would love to be able to actually spend the money." If Carle is to win its appeal, then District 116, the City of Urbana, and other agencies receiving the tax money would have 30 days to pay back the funds.
