Tax collectors’ commission viewed by Laurel board
After their counterparts in the Uniontown Area School District voted this week to lower the commissions for its tax collectors, Laurel Highlands School Board members broached the subject Thursday but took no action on changing the commission rate. Area school districts have until Feb. 15 to make a change in the commission rate for the next four-year billing cycle, which begins in 2006.
Laurel Highlands School District pays tax collectors a .75 percent commission for collecting school real estate and per capita taxes. During the board work session Thursday, directors talked about taking advantage of the opportunity to change the rate before the window closes next month.
Board President Edward S. George said that the district’s commission rate is still the lowest in Fayette County and noted that he was hesitant to reduce the rate without knowing how much of the commission is used by the tax collectors for expenses.
“We’re below 1 percent, and others are 3 percent or higher, so I think we’re well in line there,” he said. “Compared to other districts, we’ve been well ahead for years.”
Directors James F. Burns and Beverly Beal suggested the commission rate for Robert P. Kovach, North Union Township tax collector, and James Conway, South Union Township tax collector, be reduced to .7 percent or .65 percent.
Director Mary Conway, mother of James Conway, said she was upset by comments she heard on the radio that tax collectors just take payments and hand out receipts.
“I’d like for the Uniontown newspaper or the radio station to collect taxes. It’s a hassle,” she said. “They (tax collectors) pay the salary, rent, materials and for equipment (with the commission), and these people don’t understand it.”
Business manager Joyce Estocak said that the district paid around $75,000 in commissions during the 2003-04 school year. George said that amount would barely cover fringe benefits for two or three employees in the district to handle tax collection.
Monday evening, the Uniontown Area School Board voted to lower its commission rate for tax collectors from 3 percent to 2 percent in most municipalities, with the exception of Markleysburg and Ohiopyle boroughs.
Collection fee schedules will also remain the same in the City of Uniontown, where the district pays one-third of the salary and fringe benefits of city treasurer Susan Maher, and one-half of the salary and fringe benefits for two clerks in her office.
The issue was discussed, but was not added to the agenda for the board’s regular meeting that followed the work session. Directors said more time was needed to research the issue, and a special meeting will most likely be called prior to the Feb. 15 deadline once the district administration has compiled more information.
In another matter, solicitor Gary Frankhouser announced that the public auction of the John F. Kennedy Elementary School will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday.
He said two parcels will be sold, the school building itself and 3 acres of adjacent property, along with any surplus equipment from the school, which closed at the end of the 2003-04 school year.
Bidders can make offers for the school and property separately or make a bid for both, Frankhouser said, though the school board has the discretion to reject the bids at a board meeting.
He told the board that the school property is zoned R-1 residential, and if someone wants to use the area for something other than a school or for residences, the successful bidder will have to request a special exception from the county zoning hearing board.