News

July 18, 2008

Mobile-home owner says delay would be blow to her

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

Bonnie Bond has been struggling to pay her taxes since 2002, so she felt vindicated and elated when she received her new assessed value.

There in black-and-white, for the first time, was proof that she had been overassessed, or paying more than her fair share, on her mobile home.

Her mood went from fear to anger Thursday when she learned it’s possible that commissioners will delay the reassessment. She cried several times when she discussed the matter with a reporter.

“Oh please, God, don’t postpone it because I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Bond, a two-time cancer survivor who lives on Social Security disability.

While she sympathizes with property owners who have problems with their new values, Bond said equal focus must also be on property owners who are paying more than their fair share.

“If they postpone this, then I’m in jeopardy of losing my residence. People need to hear both sides,” Bond said. “I just want justice.”

She became more enraged when one taxpayer publicly commented that property owners have been “raped” by the reassessment process.

“I feel like I was raped with my clothes on,” Bond said.

Bond called the Luzerne County Commissioners’ office Thursday begging them to keep the reassessment in place.

Bond owns a mobile home and rents the Exeter parcel on which it sits. She bought the place for $12,500 in 1988.

She currently pays taxes on a home worth $41,200, and her new assessed value is $11,300.

The new value will lower Bond’s annual property taxes from about $792 to $162, according to her notice.

Bond called the Luzerne County Commissioners’ office Thursday begging them to keep the reassessment in place.

She is hanging onto a thread as it is.

She is currently on a payment plan with the county tax claim office and owes $5,441.80 in back taxes, penalties, interest and other costs for taxes dating to 2002. She said she faithfully pays but can’t climb out of the hole. The county has warned that she will lose her trailer if she misses a payment.

A former nonprofit caseworker, Bond said she wouldn’t have been behind in the first place if her taxes had been $162.

She said she never realized she was paying on a structure worth more than $40,000 and never knew she could challenge her assessment in a formal appeal.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to turn,” Bond said.

Though she’s pleased about the planned assessment reduction, Bond has scheduled an informal review because she believes her mobile home is worth about $5,000 due to depreciation.

Skrep offers help

Facing quandary

Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak announced during Wednesday’s commissioner meeting that his executive assistant and intern will assist any county property owners who are not familiar with computers and need help conducting research on their new values.

To arrange a time, call Nancy Kelly at 825-1633.

It’s unclear if overassessed property owners have any recourse to reduce their taxes if commissioners delay the reassessment.

While there’s a 40-day deadline to appeal the new values, property owners have until Sept. 1 to appeal old values for the 2009 tax year. The old values will remain in place in 2009 if the project is delayed.

However, county assessment office Director Tony Alu said property owners can’t use the new values as evidence to contest their old assessed values.

Instead, property owners would have to provide proof that their old values are out of line compared to other old values, Alu said.

Alu said he is not encouraging overassessed property owners to file appeals on their old values because he sees no sign that the reassessment is going to be delayed.

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