Property Reassessment

December 11, 2008

Assessment mediations total $87,400

So far four county property owners have gotten reductions.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Four Luzerne County property owners received a combined $87,400 in assessment reductions through the newly added court challenge mediation step, according to a review of the first settlements filed in the county courthouse.

Mediation settlements must be accepted by both the property owner and county assessment appeal board solicitor David Schwager. Specialty Courts Director Sam Guesto presides over mediation, approaching both sides separately to try to negotiate an amount.

The largest settlement reduction – $41,200 – went to the owners of a four-bedroom, two-story house built in 2005 on East County Road in Sugarloaf Township. The reassessment company originally valued the property at $418,300 – $369,800 for the house and $48,500 for the 1.21 acres.

A county assessment appeal board reduced the house to $272,700 but kept the same land value.

The mediation settlement further reduced the house to $231,500 but kept the land value, for a new total of $280,000.

The property owner will save an estimated $491 in school, county and local property taxes due to the additional mediation reduction, according to 2009 tax rate projections. The combined taxes on a property worth $280,000 in Sugarloaf Township will be about $3,300.

Here’s a summary of the other mediation settlements:

• A vacant, 3.17-acre parcel on Sorbertown Hill Road in Hunlock Township was originally valued at $36,500, and no reduction resulted at the formal assessment appeal. The mediation settlement reduced the land to $28,500, or $8,000 less.

• A three-bedroom, two-story house on 0.28 acre along Blueberry Drive in Duryea was originally valued at $307,400 -- $50,400 for the land and $257,000 for the house.

A county appeal board reduced the overall value to $282,500 by lowering the house to $232,100. The settlement kept the land the same but further reduced the house to $204,600, for a total of $255,000. The net difference from the formal appeal: $27,500.

• A two-bedroom, two-story 1927 home on Second Street in Larksville was originally valued at $83,700 -- $63,800 for the house and garage and $19,900 for the 0.13 acre. The county appeal board did not change this value.

The settlement kept the land the same but reduced the structures to $53,100, for a total $73,000.

Property owners have 30 days after the date of their formal appeal board rulings to file court challenges, which begin with mediation and advance to arbitration and special master steps if necessary.

To date, 853 property owners have filed challenges on rulings that were issued last month, and it’s expected to take until June at the earliest to hear them.

Another 4,853 appeal board rulings were mailed Wednesday, and these property owners have until Jan. 9 to file court challenges. These property owners may have to wait until the summer or next fall for conferences.

Roughly 3,000 rulings are set to be mailed in January, including some that have been tied up in a reconciliation check in the assessor’s office.

Franklin Township property owner Howard Stigben learned Wednesday that his ruling was not among the latest mailing, which means he’ll have to wait until the next mailing on Jan. 5.

His assessment appeal hearing was on July 15, and he had been informed at that time that a decision would be released around Oct. 31.

“I’m at my wits’ end. I’m at the point where I don’t think much of the people at the courthouse,” Stigben said.

Rally planned

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Several Luzerne County property owners have scheduled a rally against the reassessment at 9 a.m. Wednesday, before the county commissioners’ 10 a.m. meeting.

The protest will be in the courthouse rotunda, said organizer Audrey Simpson.

Simpson said the time was chosen because commissioners plan to vote to adopt a 2009 budget that raises taxes to receive an allowable 10-percent, post-reassessment tax revenue increase.

Michelle Boice, Grace Griffin and Dorothy Spencer are also coordinating the protest.

Call reporter Jennifer Learn-Andes at 831-7333 if you have feedback on the county assessment appeal board rulings mailed Wednesday.

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