Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber is expected to be the first witness in a property tax case scheduled to go to court in Trenton this week. The University is being sued by Princeton residents who are challenging the tax exempt status of several of its properties.
The issue is being watched closely by educational institutions and non-profits. The lawsuit, which dates back four years, says the University should pay taxes on the buildings it rents out for private functions. The suit also maintains that the school shares profits with professors on some of the patents they receive and the research they conduct. Lawyers for the school have argued that the buildings serve its educational mission and should therefore be exempt. more