Visitor takes time tour | with this nice write-up about the National Watch and Clock Museum located in Columbia Pennsylvania – plus9time.com

non-profit free ride | There’ve been questions posed during council meetings over the years about the “payments in lieu of taxes.” 

“For not-for-profit entities (NFPs), payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) are amounts paid to a state or local government in place of taxes, most commonly property taxes. At issue are the vast amounts of land owned by universities, hospitals, churches, and other NFPs. The tax-exempt status granted to these entities by the IRS means that property taxes that would have been paid to municipalities had this land been owned by private individuals or companies are not collected. Municipalities use PILOT to compensate for some or all of the lost tax revenues. PILOT are voluntary for NFPs.”

Columbia’s PILOTs are few | Listed on page 78 of the supporting packet of the November 24  borough council meeting agenda is the very small list of those Columbia not-for-profits that made payments in lieu of taxes for the 2018-2020 period. Also listed is a much longer list of properties tat are tax exempt, on pages 75 through 77.  

Temporary pull back | “Columbia Borough district switches to temporary remote learning after case impacts all 3 buildings” – Lancaster Online

a most unhappy valley | “Lack of execution continues to haunt Penn State football in 0-5 start” – The Daily Collegian

Columbia letter-to-the-editor writer in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster

Internet choice | The above ad is in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster; a possible alternative to the monopoly provider?

“A Trump supporter screamed that protesters were devils during a pro-Trump rally in Washington on Saturday. Photo: Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images”

“hate” emails| “Defeated Trump Campaign Tells Supporters “The Left HATES YOU” in Fundraising Emails” – The Intercept

SOURCE: The Washington Post

That was then | this is now: “U.S. passes 12 million confirmed coronavirus cases” – WITF