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The Dartmouth
March 29, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

State rejects UPNE tax-exempt claim

The New Hampshire State Board of Tax and Land Appeals last week denied an application for tax-exempt status submitted by University Press of New England, the Dartmouth-run printing press located in Lebanon.

Assistant Provost Bruce Pipes said he has not decided whether or not to appeal the decision, since he only received the full legal documents Monday, but he added the College was "concerned" the decision might affect other Dartmouth operations' tax status.

Meanwhile, Pipes said he does not expect the decision to influence the press' operations.

The press is a nonprofit organization, which publishes books by scholars of both its member and nonmember schools, according to Pipes.

For several decades a Hanover warehouse contained the press, but two years ago the size of its operation necessitated its relocation to Lebanon.

This move brought with it a substantially higher tax bill which Tom Johnson, the press' associate director of operations, estimated at $17,000 for last year. In response, the College sought tax-exempt status.

But the board ruled that the press was not "an educational institution," and was therefore ineligible.

The board also cited the membership of out-of-state schools as important to its decision, saying it did not want to benefit them at the expense of Lebanon taxpayers.

Pipes said the press would not consider terminating its relationship with other members because "the substantial advantages to pooling resources" from out-of state-members far outweighs the increased tax burden.