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Pocono News Section
Rally Held to Stop Reassessment
Rally Held to Stop Reassessment - Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 10:57PM EST
Reported by: Dia Wallace
Saturday, Aug 16, 2008 @ 10:57pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A group of angry taxpayers rallied at Wilkes-Barre's Public Square Saturday. They blasted the company that did Luzerne County's tax reassessment and they are demanding the entire project be scrapped.
Daniel Smerglio of ‘Voice of the People’ said, “What’s being done is absolutely insane. 21st Century Appraisals did a very bad job. They have a poor track record of doing this in other counties across PA and what we are asking for instead of delaying the inevitable instead of double talk is to repeal the reassessment.”
Smerglio is one of many Luzerne County constituents that gathered at Wilkes-Barre's Public Square to plead with county commissioners. “The people right now are suffering. We can't afford to put food on our table, we can't afford to heat and cool our houses, we can't afford to fill up our gas tanks. How can we afford so much more money for the basic right of living?” he asked.
Taxpayers continue to argue the burden the new property values will cause families. This, combined with potential inequities and a possible extension, continue to delay the several year old reassessments.
Despite the challenges, a key reason for reassessment is to fairly balance tax liability among property owners. But many property owners say their information and assessments are just plain wrong.
Frank Scavo asked, “Is 21st Century’s formula flawed or was it intentionally manipulated? You can't have a company with that experience and those results.”
Get another company to come in and double check their appraisals. There are too many discrepancies with what happened,” suggested Smerglio.
Tioga County officials, which also hired 21st Century Appraisals, rescinded their new assessment values after a backlash from over-assessed property owners. Frank Scavo, an Old Forge School Board Director and tax advocate, predicts more problems. “Lackawanna County will explode with the same debacle, the same property tax problem that Luzerne County is now experiencing.
Scavo says be ready for 2012 - that's the year taxpayers will see their property tax triple. “We have to fund the pension and retirements of our legislators and teachers, which they had an increase of 50 and 25%. In 2012 they are going to triple. That's a travesty. We have to stop it now,” he added.
The group Voice of the People wants Luzerne County Commissioners to stop the assessment now. They say research it further and consider a refund from 21st Century Appraisals, or sue.
Another rally is scheduled for Monday at 1PM at the Luzerne County Courthouse by Harvey's Lake residents. | | |
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