By Rachel Leingang | Arizona Republic
The Arizona attorney general has launched another battle against the state’s public universities, this time over large Arizona State University real estate projects that he says are illegal.
Attorney General Mark Brnovich sued the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s universities, in Arizona Tax Court Thursday.
He claims real estate deals approved by the board allow universities to boost favored companies and help them avoid paying taxes. ASU is essentially renting out its tax-exempt status to private businesses, Brnovich said.
Specifically, Brnovich calls out Arizona State University’s practice of allowing for-profit companies to build on university-owned land, which is tax-exempt. He seeks to force an unbuilt Omni Hotel to pay property taxes.
