Quinn: Continue review of hospitals’ tax exemptions

Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn has asked the Illinois Department of Revenue to continue its review of applications submitted by notfor-profit hospitals seeking property-tax exemptions. Quinn failed to reach an agreement with the state’s hospitals and other state officials that would clarify the requirements for an exemption by a March 1 deadline. “The Department of Revenue will follow that directive and resume its deliberations today and expects to begin deciding exemption applications this month,” according to an e-mailed statement from the department. The effort to forge an agreement was triggered in August when the revenue department took away the exemptions from three hospitals, 171-bed Decatur (Ill.) Memorial Hospital, 330-bed Edward Hospital in Naperville and Prentice Women’s Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The department said as many as 15 hospitals are under review for tax-exempt status. The Illinois Hospital Association said in a written statement that talks will continue with state officials.