News

May 8, 2008

Recorder’s property escapes tax sale

James O’Brien owes $17,855 in ’03-’07 taxes on pub, yet it was not put up for auction.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds James O’Brien owes $17,855 in back taxes on his Avoca pub, according to the county tax claim office.

The debt raises questions about why the property has not been auctioned in back tax sales.

Properties are typically auctioned after back taxes have gone unpaid for two years, county officials say.

The $17,855 was owed from 2003 through 2007, records show.

Sam Diaz, the county’s former budget/finance chief, had been overseeing the tax claim office from 2006 until he recently left to take another county job. Diaz could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

County minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said Diaz had complained when he took over the office that too many properties had been pulled from tax sales for no reason.

“Obviously he didn’t bring this one to our attention, and I’d like to know why,” Urban said, adding that he will press for an explanation.

“Elected officials shouldn’t be treated any differently from anyone else,” he said.

Mary Dysleski, who is temporarily overseeing tax claim, said Wednesday she found no records citing a reason for the property to be omitted from tax sales. Dysleski had been county recorder of deeds but lost re-election to O’Brien.

Neil O’Donnell, the tax claim solicitor, said Wednesday that he has not researched the history of O’Brien’s debt.

O’Donnell said the property will be sold at the Sept. 18 tax sale if he does not pay the debt.

“It’s a clear issue. The taxes are delinquent,” O’Donnell said.

The taxes are owed on O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Restaurant on Main Street.

O’Brien, who took office in January, said during his 2007 campaign that he was in the process of selling the bar. He has also served as Avoca mayor and spent more than a decade on the Pittston Area School Board.

In an e-mail response Wednesday, O’Brien said a sale of the bar is “pending.”

“The tax issue will be cleared,” he wrote.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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