State Representatives Hail Passage Of Groton Odd Fellows Home Bill

HARTFORD, CT - State Representatives Christine Conley (Democrat-40) and Joe de la Cruz (41) applaud the House passage of a bill that would end the litigation between the town of Groton and the Odd Fellows Home. The home is a non-profit nursing home and rehabilitation center located in the town for over 120 years.

"I am proud of Groton and Odd Fellows for working together to come up with a mutually beneficial agreement for both parties," Conley said in a release. "In addition to clarifying the tax-exempt status of the Odd Fellows home, this bill ends the longstanding litigation that has plagued the town for years."

Senate Bill 377 specifies that any property tax assessed against the Odd Fellows Home of Connecticut on or after October 1, 2017, shall be calculated only on said home's otherwise taxable property exceeding twenty-five million dollars in assessed value. (To sign up for Groton breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

The town has been taxing the Odd Fellow's Home based upon their interpretation of a 2012 public act, which they believe removed the Odd Fellow's Home's entire exemption once it had reached an appraised value of over $25 million. The Home has been paying property taxes on its entire assessment in protest despite interpreting the 2012 bill as instead removing the tax exemption for any assessment over $25 million.

"I'm very pleased that both parties voted on a local pilot agreement and expressed support for this bill," de la Cruz said in a release. "This bill ends the ongoing legal battle, ultimately saving Groton and Groton residents a significant amount of money."

The Groton Mayor and Town Council have expressed support for this bill, which passed the House on June 2 in a 148-0 vote and passed the Senate on Tuesday, May 24. It will now head to the governor's office to be signed into law.

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