For four years, Syracuse University has fought the city of Syracuse in court to avoid paying property taxes on part of its tax-exempt student center.
So far, lawmakers, a review board and a judge have agreed that yes, SU owes taxes on the building. The university could get a ruling on its latest appeal from a court in Rochester as early as today.
The city began taxing a portion of the Schine Student Center in 2022 after an assessment determined it was no longer 100% tax-exempt. The city argues that the cafeteria and bookstore are public businesses that generate revenue and, therefore, should be taxed. SU argues that the businesses are university-run and fulfill its educational mission, therefore should be tax-exempt…