3 months ago Share Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is preparing for a legal battle over its tax-exempt status in the beginning of the new year.
After years of being exempt from local property taxes, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is facing nearly $1 million in taxes and assessments on its bayfront campus near downtown Sarasota.
Selby Gardens officials said the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s decision to deny the nonprofit its tax-exempt status represents a change that jeopardizes the organization’s financial outlook. Selby has successfully claimed a tax exemption for decades, avoiding tax payments associated with the property at 1534 Mound St. valued at more than $60 million since 2016.