Property Reassessment

August 8, 2008

Elderly property owners in bind

Area tax collectors: County must help computer illiterate handle reassessment process.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Normally a tough woman, Hazle Township tax collector Marguerite Benderavich started crying Thursday as she described the confused and troubled expressions of elderly property owners who have been coming to her about Luzerne County’s reassessment.

Benderavich believes reassessment is sorely needed and long overdue, but she thinks the county needs another year to make sure concerns are addressed and errors are not falling through the cracks.

Some computer illiterate elderly property owners have family members or friends to help them with online research, but plenty do not, she said.

“It’s total confusion on the part of people who don’t have anyone to turn to,” she said. “There can’t be so many errors and so much misunderstanding.”

Benderavich has gone through six ink cartridges printing out reassessment property descriptions for older property owners who don’t know how to use computers to access the reassessment company’s online database.

“People come knocking at the back door while I’m eating dinner, asking me to help them,” she said. “It’s not just me. A lot of the tax collectors are doing it.”

Jenkins Township tax collector Jean Mudlock was about to pick up a computer ink refill on Thursday. She estimates she’s printed property descriptions and answered questions for about 20 property owners. She said the county and many area municipal officials are not doing enough to help the elderly figure out what’s happening.

“We have too many older people for them to throw this system at them and not offer any kind of help,” Mudlock said. “Someone has to sit down and take the time to help them. If I didn’t help, some of these people would just accept what was given, which is a sad thing.”

Mudlock said she found “a lot of inconsistencies” while looking up properties for elderly residents. She discovered people charged for non-existent garages and a shed that was valued as a garage.

“One property had four things on there that did not exist on the property,” Mudlock said. “They can only find that out by going to the Web site.”

Land values also have escalated, and some property owners don’t realize that their land measurements are off and must be corrected at the county mapping department, she said.

County officials are encouraging property owners to schedule informal reviews, where they may review the property description and correct errors.

However, Mudlock and Benderavich said property owners need access to the online information before reviews because they may have to prepare photographs or other documentation to obtain corrections during informal reviews.

“Some of these people just don’t understand what they’re looking at, and the informal reviews only allow so much time,” Benderavich said.

Mudlock said she keeps thinking about a homebound couple in her neighborhood because she reviewed their new assessment and it appears to be “way out of line.”

“They are both sickly. Their situation has been bothering me so much. I’m probably going to reach out to them,” she said.

Tim Barr of the reassessment company 21st Century Appraisals Inc. urged property owners to visit the Plains Township or Hazleton reassessment centers. Computers have been set up, and workers are available to help.

County acting Controller A.J. Martinelli also has pointed out that 21st Century’s contract calls for the company to conduct informal reviews at county senior centers and to visit shut-ins, if requested by the county.

Barr said Thursday that his company has performed a few informal reviews by phone for the homebound, but he said they must be “hardship cases.”

Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said the county is setting up a plan to accommodate a property owner with a hearing impairment, and she is willing to assist others.

“If someone is truly homebound, we will make special accommodations,” Petrilla said.

Reassessment-firm meeting planned

Luzerne County acting controller A.J. Martinelli said he’s in the process of setting up a meeting with the reassessment company the week of Aug. 18 to discuss his request for information on whether the company’s contractual obligations have been met.

Martinelli has threatened to withhold payment if he doesn’t receive answers.

County Commissioner Chairman Maryanne Petrilla said she believes all contractual obligations have been met, and she has asked Chief Clerk/Manager Doug Pape to meet with Martinelli to make sure he receives requested information.

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

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