Princeton's Attempt to Have Tax Exemption Case Thrown Out Denied: Report

Princeton, NJ -- Princeton University’s latest effort to have a lawsuit challenging its tax-exempt status thrown out has been denied, Planet Princeton reports.

The University claimed the lawsuit should be thrown out on procedural issues, claiming the plaintiffs didn’t meet basic standards required by law in filing their complaints, according to the report. If those standards weren’t met, the court wouldn’t be able to hear the complaints.

That argument was rejected by a New Jersey Tax Court on Friday, according to the report.

Residents Kenneth Fields, Mary Ellen Merino and Joseph and Kathryn King are challenging the tax-exempt status of some of the University’s buildings that are used for commercial use, such as eateries.

The University is also being accused of acting like a for-profit institution, including holding a licensing agreement for a chemotherapy drug.

The latest ruling comes a month after an appeals court refused to intervene in the lawsuit.

Princeton is also disputing a ruling that it bears the burden of proof that it should be tax exempt. It contends that it is the defendant, and that the burden of proof should rest with the plaintiffs.