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Eight of Luzerne County’s 12 school districts have increased real estate taxes this year, a new county assessor’s office report shows.
Crestwood has the highest percentage increase — 6.39.
The other percentage hikes: Hazleton Area, 5.32; Lake-Lehman, 4.9; Hanover Area, 3.3; Wyoming Valley West, 3.22; Northwest Area and Wyoming Area, 3.1; and Wilkes-Barre Area, 2.2.
Three districts kept taxes the same — Dallas, Pittston Area and Greater Nanticoke Area.
Meanwhile, Berwick School District has a 0.55 percent tax decrease. Four county municipalities fall in this district, according to the county: Nescopeck borough and Hollenback, Nescopeck and Salem townships.
An understanding of millage rates is necessary for property owners to figure out the financial impact of the increases.
A mill is $1 tax on every $1,000 in assessed value of real estate.
In Crestwood, the district’s total millage is rising to 11.0539, or an increase of 0.664 mills.
That means the owner of a $100,000 property will now pay $1,105.39 in Crestwood (the assessment divided by 1,000 multiplied by 11.0539). That’s an increase of $66.40.
The increases in the other districts, along with their new total millage rates:
• Hazleton Area, 0.562 mills/11.1179 mills
• Lake-Lehman, 0.5416 mills/11.5761 mills
• Hanover Area, 0.5996 mills/18.7743 mills
• Wyoming Valley West, 0.54 mills/17.29 mills
• Northwest Area, 0.3331 mills/11.0783 mills
• Wyoming Area, 0.5099 mills/16.9595 mills
• Wilkes-Barre Area, 0.3968 mills/18.4332 mills
The total millage rates in the three districts with no change: Dallas, 13.6338; Pittston Area, 15.982; and Greater Nanticoke, 11.9113.
Berwick’s millage is decreasing from 10.85 to 10.79 mills, for a reduction of 0.06 mills. That means the tax bill on a $100,000 property will be $1,079, or $6 less.
Highest and lowest
Although Crestwood’s percentage increase is the highest, it still has the second lowest total millage. Berwick has the lowest rate.
Hanover Area’s millage is the highest, followed by Wilkes-Barre Area.
Illustrating the difference from high to low, a $100,000 property owner pays $1,877.43 in school taxes in Hanover Area, or nearly $800 more than the tab for a property assessed the same in the Berwick School District.
School taxes make up the largest share of real estate tax bills.
A breakdown of all real estate taxes in each municipality is posted on the assessment page at www.luzernecounty.org.
The mailing of this year’s school tax bills has been delayed due to the cyber attack on county government.
With the county’s real estate assessment database still down, the county assessment office can’t complete a tax base reading known as a certification needed to generate school tax bills. Certifications ensure tax bills incorporate the latest information on the county’s more than 167,800 parcels, including assessed values and ownership.
County officials told school districts earlier this month they were focusing on a “workaround,” with a goal of mailing the bills Aug. 1. The county said no additional updates will be provided on the matter unless the Aug. 1 date must be extended.
Ten of the 12 school districts typically mail their tax bills in July. Officials said the bills must be mailed by the end of August by law.