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Forum Planned to Help Not-for-Profits Understand Local Property Tax Exemptions

January 26, 2006

Jacksonville City Council Member Glorious Johnson, Chair of the City's Value Adjustment Board, is pleased to announce a Not-For-Profit Organization Tax Exemption Forum to be held on Monday, Feb. 27, 2006, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Renaissance Room, 1st floor, Jacksonville City Hall, 117 W. Duval St. in downtown Jacksonville.

The forum, co-sponsored by the City of Jacksonville, the Duval County Property Appraiser and Duval County Tax Collector, is designed to help private not-for-profit organizations in Jacksonville, including churches, schools, social service agencies and others, understand their eligibility for exemption from local property taxes and the process and timeline for applying for such exemptions.

Presenters will include Value Adjustment Board Chair Glorious Johnson, Property Appraiser Jim Overton, Tax Collector Mike Hogan, and others who will explain what types of activities do and do not qualify for the property tax exemption, how and when to make application for the exemption, and how and when to appeal adverse decisions regarding qualification for the exemption.

Councilwoman Johnson organized the forum in response to her experience as Chair of the Value Adjustment Board, where she witnessed numerous appeals for tax exemptions from not-for-profit organizations that did not file applications for the exemption in a timely manner, or were disqualified from receiving the exemption because some of their activities did not qualify as not for profit as required by law. Her hope is that not-for-profit entities, particularly those with small staffs or volunteer officers who may not be well-versed in the details of tax exemptions, will take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to qualify for exemptions to which they are entitled and to avoid penalties and fees for late filings or appeals.

Said Councilwoman Johnson, 'The non-profit organizations in Jacksonville do such a wonderful job. It's a real shame they do not get the tax exemption to which they're entitled because they do not properly complete the forms or apply on time. I hope this forum will help our non-profits understand the importance of the exemption application process.'