Property Reassessment

February 18, 2009

Petition to protest reassessment

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

HARVEYS LAKE – A resident-inspired petition with backing by the borough council may help with what backers contend are unfair property reassessments values.

Tuesday night, in a standing-room-only room meeting, frustrated residents sought the help of the council in developing a solution to fight new property values established by the Luzerne County reassessment. Council members clearly understood how frustrated the residents were. A resident-inspired idea to develop a letter and have a petition for all to sign will be available by Thursday in the borough office.

Attorney Charles McCormick said he has filed 60 to 70 appeals for other clients, and is aware of the attitudes and how people were treated by the reassessment process.

“The process and reassessment is fatally flawed,” he said. “It should be thrown out and redone.”

He advised a class-action lawsuit is expensive to carry out. What residents need to do is shift the burden onto the reassessment office, he said.

“Through the appeal process, residents try to prove why their property should not be valued at the reassessment rate. If you go to a judge or master, then the 21st Century Appraisals Inc. has to prove their numbers,” he said.

Residents are hoping to skip the many steps of the appeal and mediation process and go right to a judge. Once the petition is signed, the council members will sign a letter asking for modification of the property reassessment appeal process from a multiple stage to one stage. This letter will be sent to the president judge.

The petition will be available for signatures from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning Thursday in the borough office. Residents who may be unable to get to the borough building may call council member Diane Dwyer, and the petition will be brought to their home to sign.

McCormick said properties with a water view and waterfront have always been seen as an asset and valued that way for tax purposes, but Harveys Lake has been hit hard.

Realtor and taxpayer advocate Michelle Boice said she accompanied senior citizens Walter and Ann Cepukaitis to their appeal and witnessed them bullied into accepting a slight decrease in their property value.

“He said you either take this offer or I’ll put you in front of a judge,” Cepukaitis said.

Boice said she researched the reassessment thoroughly and found no reason for the reassessment property values.

“I found shoreline property varies drastically,” she said. “From $1,000 per square foot to up to $7,000 per square foot.”

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