A charitable organization applied for a declaration that premises it occupied under leases were exempt from municipal property taxation under s. 10 of its incorporating statute.
The applicant argued that the statutory phrase “buildings, lands, equipment and undertaking of” the association extended to leased premises used for its charitable activities.
The respondents contended that the exemption applied only to property owned by the organization.
The court applied principles of statutory interpretation and held that the phrase “lands of the association” refers to land owned by the association, not leasehold interests.
Because the properties at issue were leased rather than owned, the exemption did not apply.
