In the wake of a recent Morning Call “Watchdog” article that detailed a Saucon Valley School District resident’s frustration with the rules for handling a property tax installment overpayment, another resident questioned the rigidity of the tax installment payment system–as well as the lack of prior notice by the school district–at the board’s meeting Tuesday.
Julie Vautrin, of Lower Saucon Township, asked for more information about the situation Bob Russo encountered when he mistakenly overpaid his fourth and final installment payment to the district’s tax collector, Berkheimer Tax Administrator.
Since it wasn’t written for the correct amount of the installment, Russo’s check was returned to him–after the deadline for the fourth installment payment had passed.
He was then assessed a late fee on top of the amount he still owed, in spite of the fact that he had been unaware that overpayments are rejected.
“Is this really how it works?” Vautrin asked. “Is it really such an automated system that we wouldn’t be able to get a phone call if the amount isn’t correct?”
School board solicitor Mark Fitzgerald responded by telling her that it’s a taxpayer’s obligation to know the correct amount of the payment that is due.
District business manager David Bonenberger–who was interviewed for the Morning Call article–confirmed the basic facts as they were reported by the paper.
Beyond those facts, school board members said they didn’t have specific knowledge of the case, although board president Michael Karabin said the written account of what happened raised several “red flags” in his mind.
“The individual sent two separate checks. He did overpay, but unfortunately it wasn’t the right amount,” Bonenberger explained. “You have to pay the exact amount because it’s installment amounts.”
Bonenberger added that Russo could have called Berkheimer to find out how much he needed to pay, or looked at his own records to see how much his earlier installment payments were written for.
“(Berkheimer) is a very large firm that collects for any number of school districts,” board member Sandra Miller said, as a way of explaining why the company might not be able to contact individual taxpayers who fail to comply with the rules for installment payments.
“So now this is how we all know (about those rules)…,” Vautrin said.
What do you think about the Saucon Valley School District’s property tax installment payment rules? How would you rate Berkheimer Tax Administrator when it comes to tax collection services? Tell us by posting a comment.
