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Background

Luzerne County is conducting a reassessment because a countywide rebalancing hasn’t been done since 1965, leaving the county with one of the most out-of-whack property tax bases in the state.

Commissioners voted in July 2003 to conduct the reassessment and hired 21st Century Appraisals Inc.

The values were originally supposed to be mailed in 2006, but the previous administration delayed the project twice.

Taxes based on the new values will take effect in 2009. All formal assessment appeals must be heard by Oct. 31 to be counted for your 2009 taxes. Formal Assessment Appeal Tips

Property owners with questions about the reassessment should call 21st Century. To reach the center, call 1-877-570-8801 for northern county residents and 1-877-570-8802 for southern county residents.

Primary Author

Jennifer Learn-Andes
jandes@timesleader.com

Property Reassessments

Important Links

NEW Luzerne County Property Assessments
The NEW assessment values for all Luzerne County properties. Also contains old values for comparison purposes.
Carbon County Property Assessments
Lackawanna County Property Assessments
Ask Your Reassessment Questions
John Van Allen - Times Leader Expert answers questions about Property Assessment.
Formal Assessment Appeal Tips
Official tips from Luzerne County for formally appealing you new assessment.
30 days to appeal formal ruling
Review the Times Leader's November 11, 2008 article that outlines the formal appeal process.

Latest Headlines

January 3, 2009

Assessment mediation working for some owners

Mediation appears to be fruitful for the first wave of Luzerne County property owners who challenged their assessed values to court, records show.

December 18, 2008

Some still upset over reassessment

Several Luzerne County property owners attended Wednesday’s county commissioner meeting to raise concerns about the reassessment.

December 17, 2008

Public assessment release angers man

Hanover Township property owner Vic Kopko said he was “outraged” to learn that Luzerne County publicly released a change in his property assessment when he’s been unable to obtain the information on his own.

December 13, 2008

Budget-makers deal in risky business

Some officials in various municipalities have been a bit apprehensive about setting their property-tax millage rates for next year, given that the results of upcoming property-tax appeals could lower their town’s tax base and reduce the amount of tax revenue they can expect in 2009.

December 11, 2008

Assessment mediations total $87,400

Four Luzerne County property owners received a combined $87,400 in assessment reductions through the newly added court challenge mediation step, according to a review of the first settlements filed in the county courthouse.

December 9, 2008

4,853 appeal rulings to go out Wednesday

Luzerne County will mail another 4,853 formal assessment appeal board rulings on Wednesday, according to reassessment company 21st Century Appraisals Inc.

December 9, 2008

Reassessment firm criticized

Luzerne County acting Controller A.J. Martinelli has sent a stern letter to the reassessment company over its contention that the company must be paid to defend the county in court-level assessment challenges.

December 6, 2008

Assessment court appeals at 9.5 percent

Another 174 property assessment court challenges were filed in the Luzerne County Prothonotary’s Office Friday, bringing the total count to 853.

December 5, 2008

Mediation meetings on values begin

Sam Guesto said he has already held around 15 mediation conferences for Luzerne County property owners who are challenging their formal assessment appeal board rulings to court.

December 4, 2008

Assessment rulings to be mailed

Luzerne County officials have decided to mail another batch of formal assessment appeal rulings next week, rather than wait for one final mass mailing around the end of the year.

November 26, 2008

Parcels’ tax rates detailed

Like a jigsaw puzzle, Luzerne County is cut into 166,014 parcels of varying types.

November 25, 2008

Dec. 20 earliest rest of rulings will be mailed

Thousands of Luzerne County property owners will have to wait until after Dec. 20 to learn the outcome of their formal assessment appeals.

November 23, 2008

Figures show tax value shift

New calculations show which municipalities on the whole are experiencing the most shifting of value because of Luzerne County’s reassessment.

November 20, 2008

Challenges to formal county appeal board rulings at 74

By the close of business Wednesday, 74 assessment appeal court challenges had been filed in the Luzerne County prothonotary’s office.

November 15, 2008

$1.3 billion shaved from values

A total $1.3 billion, or about 6 percent, in assessed value has been knocked off Luzerne County properties to date because of changes made at informal reviews and formal assessment appeals, according to figures released Friday.

November 14, 2008

New twist in assessment mediation

Hang on, Luzerne County property owners. There’s another twist in the mediation step recently added to assessment appeal court challenges.

November 13, 2008

Owners: Appraisals overlooked

Several property owners attended Wednesday’s Luzerne County commissioners’ meeting to express concerns about the reassessment, including their belief that certified appraisals carried little weight in county assessment appeal board rulings.

November 12, 2008

Assessment ruling delay criticized

Howard Stigben’s long-term care insurance will expire Nov. 23 if he doesn’t pay the $4,033 premium, but he says he can’t pay that bill until he receives his formal assessment appeal ruling because he might need that money for his 2009 taxes.

November 11, 2008

30 days to appeal formal ruling

Luzerne County property owners who want to challenge their formal assessment appeal board rulings must file a form known as a “petition for appeal” within 30 days.