Testy words over delay

First reported at timesleader.com at 3:31 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 18.
REASSESSMENT: Protesters echo Skrep, who seeks delay in implementing values. Petrilla: Give officials time to fix errors.

Former allies Greg Skrepenak and Maryanne Petrilla went round and round during Monday’s Luzerne County commissioner work session when he publicly asked her to put a reassessment delay vote on Wednesday’s agenda.

Petrilla said Skrepenak did nothing to correct errors since he voted last year to delay the project and pay another $750,000. She said he missed reassessment management meetings even though he made himself reassessment liaison, and she accused him of grandstanding.

“You don’t want to go through the Oct. 31 deadline? You’d rather be political now and come out the hero?” Petrilla said, referring to the deadline to hear all formal assessment appeals.

Skrepenak spoke of property owners who are suffering from “reassessment-induced” medical problems and afraid to answer their doors because they think someone’s taking their homes. He said he would push for a delay, even if the reassessment was “100 percent accurate,” because it’s the “wrong time.”

“You can make this about me. You can make this about what I did and what I didn’t do, but the fact of the matter remains that a large contingent of our population -- the property owners -- are living in fear now – in fear – and that’s not our job as commissioners to leave them in fear,” he said.

Tension was already high because of the background noise from reassessment protesters shouting and honking outside the courthouse. Two sheriff deputies were inside the meeting room in case someone got out of hand. Several property owners spoke in support of a delay.

Petrilla, who had teamed up with Skrepenak in last year’s commissioner race, said she will not put a delay vote on Wednesday’s agenda. She said the reassessment company 21st Century Appraisals Inc. has been paid $9 million to date. “Blatant” errors have been identified in some areas, and she wants to give the company an opportunity to correct them during the next 75 days. If values are not up to par on Oct. 31, Petrilla said she will vote to hold off.

“To stop it two months ahead of time is just asking to spend another $800,000,” Petrilla told Skrepenak. “We don’t really have another $800,000, especially since you didn’t do anything with the first $800,000 you spent.”

Skrepenak said he will make a motion to delay on Wednesday, even though he doesn’t have a second needed vote from Petrilla or minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban. Property owners are struggling with rising gas, food and heating fuel costs, Skrepenak said.

Petrilla asked how Skrepenak plans to answer to property owners who have been overtaxed, possibly for decades.

“They now have to live with the burden of high gas, high milk, and they have an opportunity to have a break,” Petrilla said, “and we’re going to say, ‘No. You don’t get a break.’”

After the meeting, Skrepenak acknowledged that he has no specific plan or timetable on reassessment if the project is delayed. By law, values must be mailed by July 1 in the year before they take effect, allowing for new formal appeals.

Would the county keep the reassessment centers in Plains Township and Hazleton? Would the values have to be updated with new sales data? Would values be mailed next year, and if not, when?

Skrepenak said he does not have answers to these questions because the county would have to come up with a strategy. He said he still wants property owners to continue with formal appeals this year, with the “breathing room” knowing that they’ll have at least one more year to prepare financially.

He argues that voting to delay now would also help overassessed property owners because they still have until Sept. 1 to file formal appeals on their current assessed values. If the county ends up delaying on Oct. 31, it would be too late, he said.

Skrepenak insists he isn’t exaggerating by describing the medical problems and fear of older people. He said a real estate professional told him a property owner was reluctant to allow him to enter because the owner was afraid someone was trying to take the home.

He also said a property owner complained in writing about someone who suffered a stroke caused by reassessment-related stress, and another described a father who “physically took ill” after an informal assessment review.

Petrilla said after the meeting that she inherited the reassessment and feels it’s her “responsibility to taxpayers to see this through.” She said she is in daily meetings with officials involved in the reassessment.

“It’s upsetting to me now that Commissioner Skrepenak is playing on the vulnerability of the people to do the popular thing and to appease the people that are unhappy,” she said. “The way we appease the people that are unhappy is to correct mistakes and get this process correct, not by just telling people what they want to hear.”

Some of the protesters screamed that Petrilla won’t get re-elected when she attempted to speak to the protesters before the work session.

Urban said he agrees with Petrilla and the plan to wait until Oct. 31. He also supports voting Wednesday to make her the reassessment liaison. Urban said postponing the process now would jeopardize formal appeals.

“Everybody says they want to see these errors corrected, and formal appeals are where a lot of things will be corrected,” he said. “Plus, as the board hears these matters, it can tell how good or poorly 21st Century did its job.”

County, Barr meet

Luzerne County acting Controller A.J. Martinelli met for three hours Monday with reassessment company representative Tim Barr.

Martinelli said the meeting was “productive,” though he didn’t receive all requested information. Martinelli said he will continue to investigate but does not plan to withhold payment to the company, 21st Century Appraisals Inc.

Martinelli earlier this month had demanded evidence that 21st Century met specific contractual obligations, saying he wants “satisfactory responses" before he approves any further payments.

Martinelli said two of his requests remain unresolved: requirements for 21st Century to conduct informal assessment reviews at county senior centers and to provide proof of ability and experience for all employees who worked on the project.

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

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Property Reassessment

It’s vote to halt vs. let process play out

County, Barr meet

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