No shift yet for county in collection of taxes

Lawrence County collectors are also looking into a unified computer system.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Shifting the collection of county taxes from Lawrence County to local municipal tax collectors isn't likely to happen until 2006, according to organizers of the movement.
Jackie Gorgacz, tax collector for Scott Township, said they are hoping to organize the county's 26 tax collectors into an association first and then tackle the issue of taking on county tax collection.
Gorgacz said 15 municipal tax collectors met Wednesday.
Gorgacz described their reaction as "affirmative." "It was a good meeting," she said.
A municipal tax collector from Beaver County talked to the group about the process of taking over tax collection from the county. Beaver County's municipal tax collectors are now trying to make that change.
Lawrence and Beaver are part of a handful of counties in which the county treasurer collects county taxes. All others have municipal tax collectors taking in county, school and municipal taxes.
It's unclear how a county goes about changing that designation from county treasurer to municipal tax collector.
The law governing the county treasurers' collecting taxes in Lawrence and Beaver counties was passed in the 1800s by the state Legislature. Gorgacz said they are looking into whether it can be repealed by the county commissioners or the state Legislature.
Saving money
Municipal tax collectors contend they could collect county taxes for a small fee and save the county money. The savings would come in reducing the staff and space of the county treasurer's office, they say. The tax collectors are also looking into getting a unified computer system that can be networked into the county.
Gorgacz said they intend to discuss the matter at their next meeting in October.
"We need to get a lot of facts and figures together and be able to present those to the county commissioners. This is not something that is going to happen overnight," she said.
She said most municipal tax collectors will be up for re-election in 2005.
"It would be nice if we could get everything finalized by then so those who are running can start office in 2006 knowing they are taking over county taxes," she said.
cioffi@vindy.com