Crocamo: Luzerne County isn’t planning a reassessment

Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo sent council an email Thursday with the subject line, “unfounded claim of a property reassessment.”

“It has come to my attention that an unfounded claim regarding the county undertaking a property tax reassessment is being made during this year’s election campaign cycle,” Crocamo wrote.

“As you undoubtedly know by having authority over this issue, that claim is entirely unfounded,” she told council. “Apparently, our combined hard work, effort and ability to present a zero percent tax increase budget has ruffled the feathers for some who seek advancement by sowing community discontent.”

While Crocamo did not identify the election campaign at issue, Swoyersville resident Greg Griffin has been talking about reassessment on social media and in a recent campaign audio message.

Griffin, a Republican, is running a write-in campaign for council. He is not on the Nov. 7 general election ballot in the county council race because he was not among the six nominees selected by the party’s voters in this year’s primary election. Twelve candidates appear on the ballot — six Republicans and six Democrats. Voters will pick six.

Griffin’s audio message says, “Now they may be planning a property tax reassessment as a back-door property tax increase.”

He also a posted a “watchdog alert” on social media. “Let’s be on guard!! It has been discussed by county officials a few months ago about your house and business being REASSESSED for possible tax increases. In my opinion a property tax reassessment is a back door tax increase!!” He went on to promise that he will “warn the citizens about this very serious tax grab” and will vote no.

His post linked to part of a June Times Leader article about the county’s latest annual “common level ratio,” which is an independent statistic measuring the accuracy of each county’s assessed values by comparing assessments to actual purchase prices.

The county’s assessed values became increasingly less accurate last year due to high real estate purchase prices, but officials said in the article they expect this trend to reverse, which would lead to a more accurate ratio score. Crocamo said in the article the county is not at the point where a reassessment is needed and that none was planned.

The last countywide reassessment took effect 14 years ago, in 2009, and had been the first mass revaluation since 1965.

In her email Thursday, Crocamo told council she wants to keep an open and clear communication with council “to combat the ease with which false claims, innuendo and disinformation can spread.”

“Social media has many laudable qualities, but with that comes the ability for abuse. Please contact me immediately if you think that any information or rumors need clarification or further explanation,” Crocamo wrote.

Griffin said Thursday he stands by his statements because there have been general public discussions on the topic, and he wants to be “preemptive.”