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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
Luzerne County Deed Transfer Database
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

June 30, 2009

Reassess case brings legal clash

The company hired to reassess Luzerne County property values had argued in court that the county has a contractual obligation to pay the company to manage and defend the county against Hanover Township resident Vic Kopko’s property assessment court challenge.

June 24, 2009

Official’s house left off tax rolls

The Luzerne County Assessor’s Office has failed to fully value and tax a Rice Township residential property that’s on the market for an asking price of $649,000.

June 18, 2009

Reassess delay vexes owner

Maria Guerriero is months behind other Luzerne County property owners resolving her reassessment property value because the county Assessment Appeals Board didn’t rule on her assessment until last month.

June 5, 2009

Nuke plant remains at top of highest assessed property list

The PPL nuclear power plant in Salem Township remains Luzerne County’s highest assessed commercial property by leaps and bounds, with a value of $248 million, according to a list of the top rankings prepared by the county assessor’s office.

June 2, 2009

New law firm in reassessment case

Luzerne County Commissioners plan to hire the Philadelphia-based Elliot Greenleaf law firm to handle a reassessment court challenge now that the last firm they hired has withdrawn.

May 29, 2009

Commissioners seek new law firm for reassessment

Luzerne County Commissioners plan to seek another law firm to handle a reassessment court challenge because newly retained Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald is withdrawing, county officials say.

May 28, 2009

Assess mediation process defended

Another $14.1 million in assessed value has been taken off the tax rolls in Luzerne County through the latest round of 83 mediation settlements granted since April 29, records show.

May 28, 2009

Appeal settled after $373,200 reduction

Scott Crispell thought he’d be the first Luzerne County property owner unable to reach a settlement at assessment mediation, but he recently gave in when the county came back with another offer.

May 27, 2009

Mericle’s home gets higher assessment rate

Luzerne County has increased the assessment of a Wilkes-Barre home owned by developer Robert Mericle in response to last month’s discovery that the finished basement wasn’t factored into the value, county records show.

May 15, 2009

Reassessing reassessment

State Rep. John Yudichak wants to study the possible creation of a state reassessment office so the cost and decision on when to revalue properties won’t be left up to counties.

May 12, 2009

Consultant: Assessors’ work fine

Luzerne County’s independent reassessment consultant has wrapped up a new study of the county’s assessments now that the values have gone through informal reviews and formal appeals.

May 12, 2009

Man’s reassessment case on hold

Hanover Township resident Vic Kopko appeared in court Monday for a hearing on his request to perform discovery as part of his property assessment mediation challenge, but Judge Hugh Mundy did not rule because he was assigned the case on short notice.

May 9, 2009

21st Century wants in on property case

Luzerne County’s reassessment company filed court paperwork Friday attempting to intervene in Hanover Township resident Vic Kopko’s county court challenge of his property assessment.

May 1, 2009

Top property values drop $11.1M

Luzerne County’s reassessment company released a list of the top 15 residential assessments last summer in response to a media request, leaving questions about what would happen once the values went through informal reviews and appeals.

April 27, 2009

Mediation reductions add up to $17.5 million

Lori Macarelli is the biggest residential property winner at assessment mediation to date, receiving a whopping $392,100 reduction on her Harveys Lake cottage.

April 12, 2009

Assessed values vs. sales prices

Jeffrey Fremont snatched up a well-kept, two-bedroom in Forty Fort for $112,000 the day it went on the market last month, aware that another interested buyer was waiting in the wings.

April 8, 2009

Access to firm online database concludes

Public access to the county reassessment company’s on-line searchable database ended Tuesday, prompting complaints from taxpayers who rely on the site for research.