Local real estate taxes are increasing in 29 of Luzerne County’s 76 municipalities this year, according to a county report.
The highest increase — 3 mills — is in Ashley borough, where taxes are rising 62%, from 4.85 to 7.85 mills.
To figure out the actual tax payment, the assessed value of a property must be divided by 1,000 and then multiplied by the millage rate.
This means the owner of a property assessed at $100,000 in Ashley will now pay $785 in borough taxes, or $300 more.
Ashley representatives have said the municipality needed an increase to cover rising expenses, including health insurance.
Newport Township is next in line, with a 2.25-mill increase.
The township tax bill will increase $225 on a $100,000 property — from $450 to $675 — due to the 50% hike, which raises municipal taxes from 4.5 to 6.75 mills.
Newport Township Manager Joseph Hillan said township officials exhaustively explored “every avenue for revenue and cuts” before considering a tax increase.
A tax increase was necessary to fund increased costs for workers’ compensation, health insurance, general insurance, and police protection, Hillan said.
“Everything went up, and nothing is going down,” Hillan said of these expenses.
The township’s 24-hour police coverage is important to residents, and law enforcement compensation must remain competitive with other municipalities to ensure the township can recruit and retain officers, he said.
Hillan said the township has experienced minimal real estate growth, but not enough to cover increased costs.
Ranking third is Hazleton, with a 2.008-mill increase equating to $201 more on a $100,000 property.
This increase from 9.1320 to 11.14 mills equates to 22%.
Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat said rising healthcare costs were the primary reason an increase was needed.
Wilkes-Barre Township’s increase was higher than these three municipalities from a percentage standpoint.
Taxes are rising 63.6% in Wilkes-Barre Township — from 2.75 to 4.5 mills.
That 1.75-mill increase will raise the municipal tax bill from $275 to $450 on a $100,000 property, or $175 more.
Township officials largely blamed that increase on revenue losses from property assessment appeals.
More increases
The other 25 municipalities with increases, as shown in mills, according to the county data or information supplied by municipalities:
• Bear Creek Township, 0.4412 to 0.5515 (0.1103 more)
• Dallas, 3 to 3.5 (0.5 more)
• Dallas Township, 3.15 to 3.25 (0.1 more)
• Dennison Township, 0.5 to 0.75 (0.25 more)
• Dupont, 1.725 to 2.1250 (0.4 more)
• Edwardsville, 4.45 to 5.95 (1.5 more)
• Exeter, 2.0079 to 2.3565 (0.3486 more)
• Exeter Township, 1.61 to 1.811 (0.201 more)
• Fairmount Township, 1.3475 to 1.41 (0.0625 more)
• Forty Fort, 5.59 to 6.59 (1 more)
• Harveys Lake, 0.8040 to 1.0452 (0.2412 more)
• Jackson Township, 3.94 to 4.04 (0.1 more)
• Jenkins Township, 2.075 to 2.6 (0.525 more)
• Kingston Township, 1 to 1.5 (0.5 more)
• Larksville, 4 to 5 (1 more)
• Lehman Township, 3.85 to 4 (0.15 more)
• Luzerne, 4.0129 to 4.1312 (0.1183 more)
• Nanticoke, 6.9258 to 7.9758 (1.05 more)
• Nuangola, 0.444 to 0.555 (0.111 more)
• Pittston, 6.85 to 8.1 (1.25 more)
• Plains Township, 1.97 to 3 (1.03 more)
• Plymouth, 7.72 to 8.22 (0.5 more)
• Sugarloaf Township, 2.68 to 3.18 (0.5 more)
• West Hazleton, 5.77 to 7.38 (1.61 more)
• White Haven, 7.5 to 8.25 (0.75 more)
No change
Millage rates will remain the same in 44 municipalities, and there are no real estate taxes in Buck and Slocum townships.
The county report lists the following unchanged total municipal millage rates: Avoca, 3.1; Bear Creek Village, 0.5490; Black Creek Township, 0.72; Butler Township, 1.098; Conyngham, 3.63; Conyngham Township, 1.877; Courtdale, 2.5; Dorrance Township, 0.75; Duryea, 2.7; Fairview Township, 1.85; Foster Township, 1; Franklin Township, 0.6350; Freeland, 5.27; Hanover Township, 5.5; Hazle Township, 0.75; Hughestown, 2.4; Hunlock Township, 1.41; Huntington Township, 0.58; Jeddo, 0.336; Kingston, 1.55; Laflin, 1.8476; Lake Township, 0.5; Laurel Run, 1.4683; Nescopeck, 3.2; Nescopeck Township, 1.55; New Columbus, 0.37; Penn Lake Park, 4.6; Pittston Township, 1.9; Plymouth Township, 1.386; Pringle, 0.75; Rice Township, 1.08; Ross Township, 0.44; Salem Township, 3.25; Shickshinny, 1.1329; Sugar Notch, 6; Swoyersville, 2.55; Union Township, 0.4; Warrior Run, 3.8; West Pittston, 4.295; West Wyoming, 2.5; Wright Township, 1.3; Wyoming, 3.7905; Yatesville, 0.612; and Wilkes-Barre, 141.33.
Wilkes-Barre’s assessment is skewed because the city did not convert to new market value assessments in the countywide reassessment.
Tax decrease
The remaining municipality — Hollenback Township — has a slight tax decrease.
Taxes were lowered from 0.6 to 0.58 mill, which means the owner of a $100,000 property will save $2 and pay $58 instead of $60.
Township Supervisor Dave Thomas said the savings “wasn’t that much” but may mean something to residents.
“We have a lot of retired senior citizens in this community and wanted to try to help the people out,” Thomas said. “We get by with what we have.”
County taxes
The county millage rate is increasing from 6.3541 to 6.4494 mills.
For a $100,000 property, the county tax bill will rise from $635.41 to $644.94, a $9.53 increase.
Combined 2026 county/municipal tax bills are targeted for issuance on Feb. 20, according to the county Budget/Finance Division.
Property owners will have two months, or until April 21, to pay at a 2% discount.
Payments are then at the full, or face, amount for an additional two months, until June 23.
A 10% penalty is added for taxes paid for the rest of the year.
The county noted it is not involved in municipal tax billing for Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, or Nanticoke.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
Dallas Post
Source link