LAWRENCE COUNTY More than $500,000 collected in overdue taxes since March 15

Commissioners may hire private accountants to do the audit.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The Lawrence County Tax Claim Bureau has taken in more than $500,000 in delinquent taxes since reopening in mid-March.
Georgann Gall, interim director, reported to county commissioners Thursday that the office also has processed 219 tax certification requests -- calls from those wanting to check if a property has delinquent taxes -- since March 15.
Gall said it's unclear if those numbers are high because there are no records to show how much money has been collected in previous years during that time frame. Gall took over as tax claim director in mid-March.
The office was closed March 2 after commissioners learned that the office director, Gary Felasco, had not paid property taxes on his Cunningham Avenue home since 2000. Felasco, who also is the elected county treasurer, was appointed tax claim director by commissioners in 2000.
Felasco's property escaped the yearly tax sale because it had been marked "court stayed" in the computer system. Felasco has said he has no excuse for not paying his taxes and he did not instruct anyone to mark his property "court stayed." There were no court cases that would warrant the property's being removed from the tax rolls.
Commissioners say they are talking to Packer Thomas, an accounting firm with offices in New Castle, Youngstown and Warren, about doing an audit of the office.
Investigation
Officials are still trying to determine if properties were improperly taken off the tax sale list in the last four years. Pennsylvania State Police also have been called in to investigate the matter. Gall noted that they have to know which properties are going to the September tax sale by early June when notices are sent out.
Commissioner Steve Craig said they also must look at property marked "bankruptcy" in the computer system to see if those parcels are still protected under the bankruptcy or can be put up for sale.
cioffi@vindy.com