News

County Reassessment

July 19, 2008

42% see big value hikes so far

But analysis not final until all properties have informal reviews and formal appeals.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
Jennifer Learn-Andes on Facebook   |   @TLJenLearnAndes on Twitter

Remember the one-third reassessment promise?

Luzerne County officials predicted one-third of property owners would receive significant increases, one-third would stay about the same and the final one-third would receive significant reductions.

That didn’t hold true with the values that were mailed by July 1, but reassessment company representative Tim Barr said there’s a reason and that the breakdown may change.

Of 158,701 taxable parcels, 34 percent, or 54,545 parcels, stayed about the same, or within 20 percent – plus or minus – of the current tax payment.

About 23 percent, or 37,219, received reductions over 20 percent of the current amount.

Roughly 42 percent, or 66,937, will see significant increases over 20 percent.

Barr, who released the statistics Friday, said the one-third premise didn’t shake out because larger reductions were granted for fewer property owners.

In other words, five parcels may have received substantial increases that together equaled the significant reduction of one parcel.

“There are some larger parcels overpaying,” Barr said.

He also emphasized that one truth still applies: One property owner will pay $1 less for every property owner who pays $1 more.

Barr said the analysis won’t be final until all properties have gone through informal reviews and formal appeals.

For example, some property owners will likely provide proof that their parcels were valued too high, and they may end up in the significant-reduction category.

“It’s not balanced at this point,” Barr said.

Barr also publicly released a breakdown of old and estimated new millage rates on Friday, in part to help property owners understand that millage rates will be drastically reduced to comply with an anti-windfall mandate.

Taxing bodies may only increase revenue 10 percent in the year after reassessment, which means they must lower millage rates to make sure that happens.

However, taxing bodies will be free to raise taxes again the year after reassessment, or in 2010.

School taxes typically make up two-thirds of a property tax bill.

Old and new rates

Luzerne County’s reassessment company has released estimated new millage rates (school, county and local combined) for all 76 municipalities. The first number listed is the old assessed value, and the second is the estimated new millage.

It must be stressed that the reassessment company used a higher estimated new millage rate to calculate the estimated tax payments that appeared on the change-of-assessment notices. That means the calculations you come up with may not match those on the notices.

The reassessment company, 21st Century Appraisals Inc., also emphasizes that the future millage rates are subject to change because they don’t include assessment reductions that will be granted for the Clean and Green land preservation program or homestead exemption programs.

To use the millage rates to calculate estimated tax bills, take the assessed value, divide it by 1,000 and then multiply it by the millage rate. The old assessed values (listed first) must be used on the old millage rates, and the new values (listed second) must be used on the new millage rates.

Here are the numbers:

Ashley, 418.9, 17.675; Avoca, 388.900, 15.005; Black Creek Twp., 283.292, 11.216; Bear Creek Twp., 391.900, 15.609; Buck Twp., 394.900, 15.664; Butler Twp., 278.292, 11.121; Courtdale, 422.900, 15.808; Conyngham Borough, 298.292, 12.082; Conyngham Twp., 364.900, 13.376; Dallas Twp., 360.900, 12.886; Dallas Borough, 373.900, 13.355; Dorrance Twp., 292.200, 11.155; Dennison Twp., 296.200, 11.268; Duryea, 393.900, 15.187; Dupont, 391.900, 15.256; Exeter Borough, 384.570, 14.643; Exeter Twp., 383.570, 14.357; Edwardsville, 440.400, 16.652; Fairmount Twp., 331.400, 10.886; Fairview Twp., 303.200, 11.650; Forty Fort, 429.900, 16.019; Freeland, 307.292, 12.218; Foster Twp., 284.292, 11.282; Franklin Twp., 361.900, 12.861; Hanover Twp., 415.900, 17.894; Hazle Twp., 280.292, 11.267; Hollenback Twp., 319.400, 12.380; Hughestown, 396.900, 15.470; Hunlock Twp., 323.400, 10.693; Huntington Twp., 323.400, 10.693; Jackson Twp., 366.450, 10.737; Jeddo, 279.292, 11.065; Jenkins Twp., 385.900, 14.952; Kingston, 412.900, 15.535; Kingston Twp., 357.900, 12.757; Laflin, 421.900, 17.037; Lake Twp., 358.450, 10.459; Larksville, 434.900, 16.340; Laurel Run, 421.900, 16.828; Lehman Twp., 365.450, 10.670; Luzerne, 424.900, 15.815; Nanticoke, 388.400, 14.329; Nescopeck, 342.400, 13.264; Nescopeck Twp., 337.400, 13.053; New Columbus, 325.400, 10.739; Newport Twp., 381.900, 14.021; Nuangola, 298.200, 11.250; Plymouth Borough, 444.200, 16.699; Plymouth Twp., 377.900, 13.832; Plains Twp., 429.900, 17.144; *Pittston Twp., 366.900, 14.233; Pringle, 398.400, 14.884; Rice Twp., 291.200, 11.148; Ross Twp., 355.950, 10.397; Salem Twp., 321.400, 12.486; Shickshinny, 345.400, 11.447; Slocum Twp., 284.200, 10.899; Sugarloaf Twp., 282.192, 11.291; Swoyersville, 410.900, 15.373; Sugar Notch, 407.900, 17.270; Union Twp., 321.400, 10.630; Warrior Run, 407.900, 17.443; West Hazleton, 304.292, 12.358; Wright Twp., 294.200, 11.365; West Pittston, 385.570, 14.517; West Wyoming, 386.570, 14.612; Wyoming, 386.570, 14.650; White Haven, 325.200, 12.553; Wilkes-Barre Twp., 416.900, 16.657; Yatesville, 379.900, 14.798; Hazleton, 309.092, 12.337; *Pittston, 366.900, 14.233; *Wilkes-Barre, 391.900, 15.609; Harveys Lake, 379.450, 10.685; Penn Lake Park, 301.200, 11.248; Bear Creek Village, 396.900, 15.781.

*The municipal tax millages were not factored into the before or after equation for properties in Pittston Township, Wilkes-Barre City or Pittston City because figures were not available. Millage rates for these three municipalities include only school and county taxes.

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