Deeds office earns county $1.38 million

Once again, the Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds office was the top revenue generator among the row offices, bringing in $1.38 million in 2007, according to the county’s newly released budget review.

The office recorded 11,856 deeds in 2007. Deeds must be recorded on new construction or property that changes hands.

The number of newly recorded deeds has been increasing steadily in recent years. For example, 8,500 deeds were recorded in 2004.

However, county commissioners had been more optimistic about growth and budgeted $1.53 million in revenue from the office in 2007, which resulted in a $147,400 revenue shortfall.

County commissioners have lessened their expectations in 2008, budgeting $1.39 million in revenue from the deeds office. County officials have expressed concern that revenue would decrease in 2008 due to a real estate market slowdown.

The prothonotary’s office came in second, with $1.17 million in revenue in 2007. That exceeded the budgeted estimate of $1 million, which is the same amount budgeted for 2008.

Prothonotary Jill Moran said she and her staff are looking for creative ways to increase revenue.

For example, the staff is now willing to visit large travel groups to prepare their passports so they don’t have to come to the courthouse.

“The more convenient we can make things for the public, the better,” Moran said.

She said she is also determined to offer on-line subscriptions to many office records this year. She’s been promising this for years but said she has experienced delays working out kinks. Moran has estimated that the on-line service will bring in roughly $1,000 per user, either through subscriptions or page download fees.

Subscribers will be able to access records from 2005 to the present, Moran said.

In addition, the office has also scanned all docket books before 2005, and the county’s information technology office intends to post that information on the county’s Web site, Morgan said.

When that happens, the public will be able to look up cases they want to research without visiting the courthouse. People could then call or e-mail the office and cite the docket number to request copies of documents associated with that case, Moran said. The office now accepts credit cards to pay for search fees.

Here’s a breakdown of revenue brought in by other row officers: treasurer’s, $244,126; coroner, $31,075; register of wills, $609,797; sheriff, $772,853; district attorney, $381,277

Property taxes, the county’s largest revenue source, generated $68.67 million in 2007, which was $4 million less than budgeted.

Commissioners have budgeted $71.87 from property taxes in 2008, even though the county is only projected to receive $587,300 more in property tax revenue from new construction.