Resolution to Begin a Duke PILOT Campaign

Whereas, Duke University and its affiliates are tax exempt and do not pay property taxes on most of their properties; and

Whereas, Duke has an $11.6 billion endowment as of June 2023; and

Whereas, other communities with large universities, many of them universities Duke considers peer institutions, have Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) system ranging from $2.5 million to $27 million; and

Whereas, the working class of Durham, which is mostly BIPOC, and includes city workers, as well as graduate student workers and other staff at the university itself, who build, develop and maintain Duke have not seen the wealth generated by Duke trickle down into their neighborhoods; and

Whereas, some of the issues faced by Durham workers include displacement, underpayment of city staff, and broadly, systematic underinvestment of public funds; and

Whereas, Duke’s tax-exempt status amounts to a subsidy that disproportionately benefits the wealthy; and

Whereas, as Duke also greatly benefits from favorable zoning policy, there exists a clear means of public leverage; and

Whereas, the Electoral Working Group has passed its own resolution to begin a Duke PILOT campaign

Therefore, be it resolved, NC Triangle DSA affirms that its Electoral Working Group will commit to a campaign seeking an annual $20 million (approximately 0.17% of the Duke Endowment) Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement, to be split between the City of Durham and Durham County; and

Be it also resolved, this campaign will emphasize the equitable and reparative ways this additional revenue can and should be used by the City and County in its goals and messaging; and

Be it also resolved, as it will be politically important to achieve a clear and public community consensus, the Electoral Working Group, in collaboration with and always seeking the approval of NC Triangle DSA’s Steering Committee, will seek to form and play a leading role in a coalition with other organizations to advance this goal, and begin outreach to organizations identified as strategic by the Working Group or Steering Committee; and

Be it also resolved, as engaging the general public is key to understanding and politically synthesizing public sentiment, identifying organic community leaders, and rooting campaigns in the socialist spirit of rooting politics in the working class, Electoral Working Group will additionally identify means of community outreach, with some examples including but not limited to canvassing, postering, and petitions; and

Be it also resolved, the Electoral Working Group will aim to begin the above mentioned community outreach in May of 2024