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South Strabane On Verge of losing Tax Collectors against their Will
By Judi Panasik
November 9, 2007
The age-old question is if a tree falls in the woods and there is no one around to hear it does it make a noise? An answer we will never know. What we do know is in South Strabane Township if a majority of residents stand up in protest or for something the supervisors will not hear them or chose to ignore them.
At the upcoming November 13, township meeting in South Strabane, supervisors may will more than likely cast a vote that will turn our tax collection over to private business and out of the experienced and competent hands of Lillian Trautman. Trautman has served as tax collector for decades with great success.
Although the public was just made aware of the possible ousting of our current tax collectors, paperwork that some residents have seen indicates that certain supervisors have been looking into using an outside company since at least June.
At the last township meeting when asked residents were told that Lou DePretis was said to have contacted Central Tax. The question on resident’s minds was why is an outgoing supervisor that has yet to be elected, pursuing such drastic means for the township. Some questioned whether he held a grudge against Trautman because of the resident’s support of her husband over Bill Bell’s position? Or is he getting back at the residents for not voting him into office. But what they really questioned was why he kept saying when you deal “us.” “Us” implies that he would be involved, and since he will be off the board before they take over why is he acting like he’s not going anywhere?
Thus leading to the even bigger question of what is really being planned behind the scenes? When Billy Bell took ill during the TIF process and the controversial vote took place, and DePretis lost the first election, the first plan to get him on the board is believed to have been set in motion. Who do they think is leaving next?
But who really cares who contacted them, the residents have strongly stated that they don’t like or want Central Tax. There have been many concerns including privacy, convenience and additional costs to residents expressed at the township meetings, but as usual there are no answers.
After the fact, Tony Zelenka spoke with the current tax collectors to see if they could cut over $65,000 from their budget. At the South Strabane budget meeting Zelenka stated that he did not believe they would be able to do so. This is the supposed amount that the township will save going with Central Tax.
Supervisor Ed Mazur has shown in his numbers, which he has crunched with other professionals, that if the township turns over the collection of the taxes Laurie Keisling now, but will be turned over to Central Tax, and has Trautman collect them an additional $22,000 can be saved that they will not have to pay Central Tax.
But more than anything, why is a township that had over $400,000 in excess funds this year worried about saving money on tax collecting? They are setting aside $153,000 for parks and recreation, whose budget is more of a tall tale than fact but is not questioned, and are getting rid of two jobs and a tax payer convince.
As someone who has had to hunt down the Central Tax offices, let me tell you it’s not fun and a decent distance with inconvenient hours and an unhelpful and disorganized staff that leaves personal information laying out for all eyes to see. This could account for the misplacement or lose of tax payments that other townships have experienced and residents have had to fight. Talking to residents of Canton Township they are extremely dissatisfied with Central Tax and will probably get rid of them when their contract is up.
Mazur stated at the Monday night budget meeting that he spoke with Chartiers Supervisor Harlen Shober who told him they had many problems with Central Tax and chose to get rid of them. Mazur also spoke with Bethel Park who is in the process of hiring them and are having many issues.
But not to fret, we will only be stuck with them for 5 years that’s the contract.
DePretis was also saying at the meeting that there are over 500 tax collectors in the state and that that was too many.
How do you know? You add numbers for a living you don’t analyze the need for collecting taxes in communities, and as the poles have shown the people of South Strabane are not interested in your opinion.
There are all kinds of corners that could be cut in South Strabane starting with Parks and Recreation. The reality of it is they need about ¼ of their budget if that. Why don’t the supervisors give up their salaries? Why not minimize the other office staff and make Trautman’s assistant part time?
Residents are about to be inconvenienced for minor savings. And you may say who cares until you are driving around the mountain Central Tax is on trying to find it before they close hoping to straighten out the letter that says you haven’t paid and will be fined.
Will the supervisors be willing to reimburse us for our time and gas money? I think they should. Of course for what people have said it takes to get things straightened out with them South Strabane may go into debt if they reimburse those of us with problems.
Hey there fellows, have you talked to the residents you represent? If they don’t care about saving the money on tax collection and would rather have the availability and reliability that Trautman has instilled in the position why are you making the change? This is not your business; it’s our township. You are elected official’s that are to act in our best interest, not our crunch numbers.
The rumblings are all around the township over this issue. But will the residents show up on Tuesday November 13 to voice their opinions? And if the supervisors really want to save money and consolidate things why don’t they do what I suggested months ago and merge us with North Strabane, thus getting rid of their positions and putting us in a better school district with better leadership.
At the rate the supervisors are going they won’t need a new township building, there won’t be anyone left to work in it, unless you count the people that will be taking care of their, not our, precious ball fields.
The new question is how did Bell and Trautman, two “non-businessmen”, run a township with less income and better results for over 20 years?
