2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 12 - Taxation
Chapter 201 - State and Local Revenue Services. Department of Revenue Services
Section 12-19a - Grants in lieu of taxes on state-owned real property, reservation land held in trust by the state for an Indian tribe, municipally owned airports and land taken into trust by the federal government for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut. Exclusion of property located at Bradley International Airport.

(a) Until the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2016, on or before January first, annually, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall determine the amount due, as a state grant in lieu of taxes, to each town in this state wherein state-owned real property, reservation land held in trust by the state for an Indian tribe or a municipally owned airport, except that which was acquired and used for highways and bridges, but not excepting property acquired and used for highway administration or maintenance purposes, is located. The grant payable to any town under the provisions of this section in the state fiscal year commencing July 1, 1999, and each fiscal year thereafter, shall be equal to the total of (1) (A) one hundred per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to any facility designated by the Commissioner of Correction, on or before August first of each year, to be a correctional facility administered under the auspices of the Department of Correction or a juvenile detention center under direction of the Department of Children and Families that was used for incarcerative purposes during the preceding fiscal year. If a list containing the name and location of such designated facilities and information concerning their use for purposes of incarceration during the preceding fiscal year is not available from the Secretary of the State on the first day of August of any year, said commissioner shall, on said first day of August, certify to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management a list containing such information, (B) one hundred per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to that portion of the John Dempsey Hospital located at The University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington that is used as a permanent medical ward for prisoners under the custody of the Department of Correction. Nothing in this section shall be construed as designating any portion of The University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey Hospital as a correctional facility, and (C) in the state fiscal year commencing July 1, 2001, and each fiscal year thereafter, one hundred per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid on any land designated within the 1983 Settlement boundary and taken into trust by the federal government for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on or after June 8, 1999, (2) subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, sixty-five per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to the buildings and grounds comprising Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown. Such grant shall commence with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000, and continuing each year thereafter, (3) notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, with respect to any town in which more than fifty per cent of the property is state-owned real property, one hundred per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to such state-owned property. Such grant shall commence with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and continuing each year thereafter, (4) subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, forty-five per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to all other state-owned real property, (5) forty-five per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to all municipally owned airports; except for the exemption applicable to such property, on the assessment list in such town for the assessment date two years prior to the commencement of the state fiscal year in which such grant is payable. The grant provided pursuant to this section for any municipally owned airport shall be paid to any municipality in which the airport is located, except that the grant applicable to Sikorsky Airport shall be paid half to the town of Stratford and half to the city of Bridgeport, and (6) forty-five per cent of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to any land designated within the 1983 Settlement boundary and taken into trust by the federal government for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation prior to June 8, 1999, or taken into trust by the federal government for the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, provided (A) the real property subject to this subdivision shall be the land only, and shall not include the assessed value of any structures, buildings or other improvements on such land, and (B) said forty-five per cent grant shall be phased in as follows: (i) In the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2012, an amount equal to ten per cent of said forty-five per cent grant, (ii) in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2013, thirty-five per cent of said forty-five per cent grant, (iii) in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2014, sixty per cent of said forty-five per cent grant, (iv) in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2015, eighty-five per cent of said forty-five per cent grant, and (v) in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2016, one hundred per cent of said forty-five per cent grant.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and in each fiscal year thereafter, the amount of the grant payable to each municipality in accordance with this section shall be reduced proportionately in the event that the total of such grants in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for the purposes of this section with respect to such year except that, for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2012, July 1, 2013, July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, the amount of the grant payable in accordance with subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of this section shall not be reduced.

(c) As used in this section “total tax levied” means the total real property tax levy in such town for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which a grant in lieu of taxes under this section is made, reduced by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management in an amount equal to all reimbursements certified as payable to such town by the secretary for real property exemptions and credits on the taxable grand list or rate bill of such town for the assessment year that corresponds to that for which the assessed valuation of the state-owned land and buildings has been provided. For purposes of this section and section 12-19b, any real property which is owned by the John Dempsey Hospital Finance Corporation established pursuant to the provisions of sections 10a-250 to 10a-263, inclusive, or by one or more subsidiary corporations established pursuant to subdivision (13) of section 10a-254 and which is free from taxation pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (13) of section 10a-259 shall be deemed to be state-owned real property. As used in this section and section 12-19b, “town” includes borough.

(d) In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1991, and in each fiscal year thereafter, the portion of the grant payable to any town as determined in accordance with subdivisions (2) and (4) of subsection (a) of this section, shall not be greater than the following percentage of total tax levied by such town on real property in the preceding calendar year as follows: (1) In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1991, ten per cent, (2) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, twelve per cent, (3) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, fourteen per cent, (4) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, twenty-seven per cent, (5) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, thirty-five per cent, (6) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, forty-two per cent, (7) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, forty-nine per cent, (8) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, fifty-six per cent, (9) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, sixty-three per cent, (10) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, seventy per cent, (11) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, seventy-seven per cent, (12) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, eighty-four per cent, (13) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, ninety-two per cent, and (14) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, and in each fiscal year thereafter, one hundred per cent.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section in effect prior to January 1, 1997, any grant in lieu of taxes on state-owned real property made to any town in excess of seven and one-half per cent of the total tax levied on real property by such town is validated.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, of this section, for any town receiving payments under section 15-120ss, property located in such town at Bradley International Airport shall not be included in the calculation of any state grant in lieu of taxes for state-owned real property and no state grant in lieu of taxes for such property located at Bradley International Airport shall be paid in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2014, and each fiscal year thereafter.

(1969, P.A. 766, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 737; P.A. 77-498, S. 1, 2; 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 78-256, S. 1, 4; P.A. 79-610, S. 2, 47; P.A. 87-399, S. 1, 4; 87-458, S. 17; P.A. 88-292, S. 1, 4; P.A. 89-368, S. 24; P.A. 90-148, S. 32, 34; 90-230, S. 16, 101; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-14, S. 3, 30; P.A. 92-224, S. 1, 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-15, S. 1, 2, 20; P.A. 93-388, S. 8, 12; P.A. 95-257, S. 9, 58; 95-307, S. 3, 14; P.A. 97-261, S. 1, 3; 97-282, S. 2, 6; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11, S. 27, 65; P.A. 98-217, S. 1, 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1, S. 11, 51; P.A. 00-112, S. 3, 5; 00-192, S. 22, 102; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-1, S. 12, 46; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 98; P.A. 13-277, S. 60; P.A. 14-47, S. 22; P.A. 15-244, S. 185.)

History: 1971 act included property acquired and used for highway administration or maintenance purposes in state-owned property for consideration in determining grants to towns; P.A. 77-498 deleted provision limiting grants to maximum of $600,000; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-256 deleted provision for pro rata reductions in grants so as not to exceed appropriations; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 87-399 repealed the grant formula based on the ratio of the total tax levied by each town on real property to the total tax levied on real property by all towns in the state, multiplied by assessed value of state-owned real property in the town, multiplied by the town’s mill rate, multiplied by ten, and substituted a grant to towns equal to 20% of property taxes which would have been paid with respect to state-owned real property on the assessment list in such town, except for the exemption applicable to such property; changed date for determination of amount due each town from August first to September first; increased minimum grant from $2,000 to $4,000; changed base year for hold harmless provision from calendar year 1968 to fiscal year ending June 30, 1987; eliminated special hold harmless provision for Mansfield; limited maximum amount of grant to any town to 7.5% of total tax levied by such town on real property in the preceding calendar year, and added definition of total tax levied, effective June 26, 1987, and applicable to grants payable in fiscal year commencing July 1, 1987, and thereafter; P.A. 87-458 provided that certain property owned by the John Dempsey Finance Corporation be deemed state-owned real property; P.A. 88-292 changed the annual date by which secretary of the office of policy and management shall determine the amount of grant to each town from September first to January first next following, increased the grant with respect to the amount related to any correctional institution from 20% of property taxes that would have been paid without the exemption to 100% of such taxes and amended the minimum grant provision under Subsec. (b) to provide for payment of not less than $4,000, irrespective of the value of the property; P.A. 89-368 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize grants for reservation land held in trust by the state for Indians; P.A. 90-148 added Subsec. (c) providing higher maximum amounts of grant for towns to which the maximum 7.5% of total tax levied on real property in the preceding calendar year is applicable, with said maximum percentage of total tax levied increasing by increments from 7.5% to a maximum of 15% in fiscal years ending in 1991 to 1994, inclusive; P.A. 90-230 corrected an omission from public act 88-292 in Subsec. (b); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-14 amended Subsec. (b) to eliminate hold-harmless provisions which had assured minimum grant of $4,000; P.A. 92-224 effective July 1, 1993, amended Subsec. (a) to remove the requirement that a correction facility be used for at least six months to qualify for increased funding and amended Subsec. (c) to state that the Subsec. applies only to the portion of the grant payable under Subsec. (a)(2) and Subsec. (a) to provide that such change would be applicable to the state fiscal year commencing July 1, 1992; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-15 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for proportionate reduction of grant for fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, if amount payable exceeds amount appropriated, and added Subsec. (d) re payment from Bradley enterprise fund, effective July 1, 1992, to June 30, 1993; and, effective July 1, 1993, further amended Subsec. (a) to make technical change in reference to state fiscal year; P.A. 93-388 amended Subsec. (c) to increase maximum percentage of total tax levied by increments from 15% to 100% commencing with fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and ending with fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, and each fiscal year thereafter, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 inserted new Subsec. (a)(2) re Connecticut Valley Hospital, renumbering former Subdiv. (2) as (3), effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-307 amended Subdiv. (b) to revise the definition of “total tax levied” to eliminate reduction of exemptions and to substitute reduction in the amount of reimbursements, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 97-261 amended Subsec. (a) to include municipally owned airports and to provide for payment of grants, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 97-282 clarified that grant limits in Subsec. (c) are to be used with respect to program rather than the percentage cited in Subsec. (b), redefined “total tax levied” in Subsec. (b), clarified language in Subsec. (d) re Bradley International Airport and added new Subsec. (e) to validate grants in excess of 7.5% of a town’s real property levy, effective June 26, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11 added new Subsec. (a)(3) re towns in which more than 50% of property is state-owned real property and redesignated existing Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (4), effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-217 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to Sec. 1-1(w), to require an annual list of such facilities and to clarify that the portion of John Dempsey Hospital used for prisoners is eligible under the section, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1 amended Subsec. (a) to provide a grant in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2001, and each fiscal year thereafter of 100% of the taxes which would have been paid on land designated within the 1983 Settlement boundary and taken into trust by the federal government for the Mashantucket Tribal Nation on or after June 8, 1999, to increase the grant payable with respect to certain state-owned real property and all municipally owned airports from 20% to 45% of the property taxes which would have been paid with respect to such property and airports, except for the exemption applicable to such property, and to provide that the proportionate reduction of grants in the event the total of such grants exceeds the appropriation for such purpose shall be not only for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, but for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and each fiscal year thereafter, effective July 1, 1999, and amended Subsec. (d) to provide that the payment from the Enterprise Fund shall be at the rate of 20% of the property taxes which would have been paid to certain towns for real property located at Bradley Airport, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-112 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 00-192 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change and increase grant re Connecticut Valley Hospital from 40% to 65% commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000, effective May 26, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-1 amended Subsec. (b) to include borough within definition of town, effective June 21, 2000, and applicable to grants in lieu of taxes otherwise due for assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 2000; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (6) re land taken into trust for Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Mohegan Tribe of Indians, redesignated provision in Subsec. (a) re proportional reduction of grants as new Subsec. (b) and amended same by adding exception for payments made under Subsec. (a)(6) and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) to (e) as Subsecs. (c) to (f), effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-277 deleted former Subsec. (e) re payments from Bradley International Airport Enterprise Fund for portion of state grant in lieu of taxes payable to towns for real property at Bradley International Airport and redesignated existing Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (e), effective July 1, 2013, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 2012; P.A. 14-47 added Subsec. (f) re exclusion of property located at Bradley International Airport from calculation of state grant in lieu of taxes for state-owned real property, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 15-244 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “On” with “Until the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2016, on”, effective July 1, 2015.