INC NEWS - Letter: With its cards, Duke acts like Donald Trump (Sunday Herald-Sun)

[John Schelp]

Letter: With its cards, Duke acts like Donald Trump
Herald-Sun, 5 February 2006 
 
So UNC, NC State and Elon University all have
reasonably-priced debit-card programs [Herald-Sun,
Jan. 29] that provide students with a wider range of
choices, local merchants with more customers and state
governments with more tax revenues. 

Duke, which is considerably more well endowed than any
of those institutions, apparently gouges both their
students and the local merchants while accepting the
two-fold subsidy we taxpayers give them as an
educational institution: Tax breaks for donors to the
university and a pass on the payment of property and
sales taxes. 

Looks like they want it both ways: To be considered
needy, do-gooder education providers when it comes to
claiming a public subsidy, while playing aggressive,
private sector-style entrepreneurs when it comes to
economic relations with the surrounding town. 

No one is suggesting that educational institutions
shouldn't get a tax break. But Duke should leave the
Trump/Gates tactics to the true private sector and be
more generous with the fruits of the community's
investment. 

Tom Clark
Durham