IL governor pauses hospital tax decisions

Gov. Pat Quinn has ordered state officials not to issue any new rulings that could deny tax-exempt status to nonprofit hospitals, saying he hopes to work with the hospital industry to find a legislative compromise. In a letter to the Illinois Hospital Association released to The Associated Press on Thursday, Quinn called for a solution that would be fair to both the hospitals and Illinois taxpayers. The letter follows the Illinois Department of Revenue's decision last month to deny tax exemptions to three hospitals, citing a 2010 Illinois Supreme Court ruling. The denials signaled that the state would get tough on hospitals it believes are operating more like businesses than charities.