Property Reassessment

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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The founders of Citizens Against Property Taxes have found a permanent home for the meetings as they continue their fight against Luzerne County’s reassessment.

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Organizers Dorothy Spencer and Grace Griffin, both of Jackson Township, expect to hold monthly meetings at the Courtdale Municipal Building, and have scheduled a meeting for tonight.

Griffin has organized several meetings over the past year about reassessment and hopes more people will join and the group will formulate plans to reach out to local state representatives for help.

“We’re going to discuss what issues are presently taking place in the state, (and legislative) bills that will be presented this year,” Griffin said. “There are many issues with the increase in property taxes, and we want to push our legislators to work together in a bipartisan fashion.”

Griffin said the group has been working with the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, and contacted state Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, and state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Jackson Township. Griffin said the group is working with 14 other member counties of the state organization since 10,000 or more people in other counties have lost their properties due to property taxes.

Griffin expressed concern about the county’s new 4.5 millage rate that will raise her taxes another $100, and is sure other residents are concerned.

Spencer said she’s worried because elderly people won’t be able to pay taxes on the new assessed values on farm lands and doesn’t want to see them lose their homes.

Spencer said 21st Century Appraisals, the county’s reassessment firm, made hundreds of mistakes, and residents are forced to pay to go to court hearings to get them straightened out.

“We want to encourage people to send complaints to the state about 21st Century,” Spencer said.

Griffin said she hopes to organize a march on Harrisburg to emphasize support for legislation. The group will eventually have a Web site.

The organization has 25 members, and Griffin expects the number will increase with the new millage rates.

“After they realize what their taxes are, you’ll see an enormous amount joining,” Griffin said.”

What’s next?

Citizens against Property Taxes will meet at 7 tonight at Courtdale Municipal Building, 5 Blackman St. For more information, call Grace Griffin at 779-4179 or Dorothy Spencer at 779-1253, or e-mail CAPTaxes@cs.com.