Property Reassessment

Property taxes

October 10, 2008

Reassess won’t see any delay

Luzerne County will continue hearing assessment appeals past Oct. 31, the commissioners say.

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

Luzerne County officials originally said they would seek a court extension or halt reassessment if formal assessment appeals couldn’t be heard by the Oct. 31 deadline, but that plan has changed.

Commissioners acknowledged during Thursday’s work session that the county will continue hearing appeals past Oct. 31, without seeking court approval for an extension. It’s still unclear how many appeals remain.

Property owner Audrey Simpson raised the subject during the work session, asking commissioners what they plan to do now that it’s apparent that some appeals must go beyond Oct. 31.

Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla and county Solicitor Jim Blaum said there’s nothing in the law that says the county must seek a court extension.

“We can’t tell people that they can’t have appeals,” said Petrilla, who wants to keep the project going so the county doesn’t have to spend an estimated millions of dollars redoing values and mailing new notices.

Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said the county continues to revise values after Oct. 31 in non-reassessment years when property owners build or demolish structures.

As of Oct. 1, the county had an estimated 4,900 remaining appeals to be scheduled. More recent estimates were not available Thursday.

The county must give property owners a 20-day notice of appeal hearing dates, so any appeal dates mailed after today would have to be heard in November.

The idea of continuing appeals past Oct. 31 without court approval surfaced recently, when reassessment company representative Tim Barr proposed the idea to county officials.

Third-class county assessment law says appeals must be heard by Oct. 31, but general assessment law indicates that boards may hear appeals at any subsequent time before the payment of the tax, said Barr, of 21st Century Appraisals Inc.

Municipal and county tax bills are not mailed until February.

County appeals boards have been hearing about 1,650 appeals per week, according to county officials.

Commissioners plan to vote at next Wednesday’s meeting to authorize overtime and Saturday pay for temporary appeals board members.

Temporary appeals board members are paid $100 per day plus $20 per day for travel and expenses.

Under the plan up for a vote, board members will receive $17.30 per hour in overtime pay on days members work more than eight hours.

A flat rate of $285 would be paid on Saturdays, with $20 for travel and expenses.

Commissioners also voted to appoint six new temporary board members to fill in for board members who have scheduling conflicts or to replace several board members who plan to leave after Oct. 31.

The following new members are listed for appointment: Deborah Jones, Butler Township; George Horwatt, Dallas; Bob Sypniewski, Dallas; Ken Bond, Dallas; Amanda Mutchler, Hunlock Township; and David Alberola, Shickshinny.

Property owner Ed Chesnovitch complained during the work session about the county’s resistance to halt the project.

He said he discovered Thursday that one property he’s been monitoring has a new increased assessment of $2.6 million, but the property cost millions more to build.

That property owner won’t come forward to seek an increase, he said.

County officials have said that school districts will have an opportunity to appeal any new assessed values that they feel are too low.

Updated values online

Luzerne County’s reassessment company has updated its online property database with more than 18,000 assessment revisions.

The revisions include changes from informal reviews and feedback provided by property owners.

The database is at www.courthouseonline.com. Property owners must enter their passwords to access the data.

The reassessment company, 21st Century Appraisals Inc., has added a new feature to the site that allows property owners to view both the original and updated values. Click on “value history” to access this information.

The letters “R” or “I” are listed under the “reason” column. The first refers to changes that resulted from additional investigation of a property, while the latter refers to adjustments made in informal reviews.

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

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