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FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012
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THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com
31 owners appeal to county board
An expected 1,000 will challenge their property assessments for 2013.
By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES jandes@timesleader.com
Garry Denke went before the Luzerne County Board of Tax Assessment Appeals on Thursday with evidence that his Butler Township property is assessed too high. His appraisal pegged the market value on the house and an adjoining vacant parcel at a combined $92,900. The current assessment totals $219,700 on the parcels. Denke said the exterior is attractive, but the property needs a new structural support system because of its proximity to Nescopeck Creek. The house on Nesco Manor Road near the former Angela Park also regularly sustains basement flooding, he said. “It has the highest assessed value on Nesco Road,” Denke said. Denke was among 31 property owners who went before the appeal board Thursday and an expected 1,000 who will challenge their assessments for 2013. Sept. 4 is the deadline to file assessment appeals. County council-appointed appeal board members Neil Allen, Donald Warren and Patrick Musto jointly listened to evidence presented by property owners. A county assessment office
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
A Luzerne County property owner presents documentation Thursday during an assessment appeal at the Luzerne County Courthouse annex. The three appeal board members seated together, from left, are Patrick Musto, Neil Allen and Donald Warren.
evaluator also attends each H O W T O A P P E A L hearing to point out relevant details that may be overlooked or Assessment appeal forms are available in the assessor’s office ignored by property owners. or on the county website, www.luThe board deliberates behind zernecounty.org (click on departclosed doors after each hearing ments/assessor’s office). and issue a ruling within several Property owners who don’t want to pay for an appraisal may reweeks. search the sales prices and asAppraisals are the evidence of choice, though appeal board sessments of similar properties in their neighborhood on The Times members said they will consider Leader’s free property database any documentation from prop- at www.timesleader.com (click on erty owners. the "tax assess" icon under the A Black Creek Township man most popular links on the main brought photographs Thursday page). The database allows showing past fire damage to a searches by streets. structure he purchased for granted for 2013, a county eval$10,000 in December. Though a reduction may be uator cautioned the property
AUCTION
dock’s Cleaner’s property on Hazle Avenue in Wilkes-Barre for a bid of $861. Iself Allah, who is affiliated with Terrific Transport, said Continued from Page 1A the company plans to open a store because back taxes and other in the tiny building. liens were cleared at the finalLodge building for $3K stage sale. Future Horizons Inc. of New The potential for bargains attracted an unusually large York purchased the former Loyal crowd, with 289 registered bid- Order of Moose Lodge 128 at 273 Stanton St. in Wilkes-Barre for ders. The highest bid was $220,000 $3,000 after competition from for the former Dominic’s on the other bidders. Company representative Alex Lake restaurant at Harveys Lake, which was owned by Casty Realty Zbinovsky said he’d like to explore and is assessed at $599,100. The the possibility of renovating the property has racked up $40,300 in 6,500-square-foot structure for an unpaid property taxes from 2008 elderly day care center, though he stressed he must first meet with through 2011. After back-and-forth from mul- the city zoning office to discuss altiple bidders, Moorestown, N.J. lowable uses for the building. The property has been in limbo resident Justin Wock snatched up the property for $220,000. Wock is for years because the previous affiliated with Lake Road Enter- buyer in a 2008 back-tax auction prises, which is owed money for also defaulted on property taxes. “There are some issues. I an outstanding mortgage on the haven’t seen the inside yet,” said property, officials said. Wock said he doesn’t plan to go Zbinovsky. Bidders aren’t permitted to exinto the restaurant business. “I just want to flip it,” he said, amine interiors of properties unreferring to a quick turnaround re- til they assume ownership. Wyoming resident Lou Burksale. Derrick Cottle, of Terrific hardt said he’s still fixing up a Transport, bought the former Ze- single-family home he pur-
MEDICARE Continued from Page 1A
a touch of envy. The proposal came from Romney’s running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. But Romney has largely embraced it, throwing a brighter spotlight on the question of whether and how to revamp the retiree health care program. Ryan wants to reshape Medicare for future retirees — anyone 54 and younger — while people 55 and older would get Medicare in roughly the same form as it exists today. Starting in 2023, new retirees on the younger side of the line would get a fixed amount of money from the government to pick either private health insurance or a federal plan modeled on Medicare. Ryan says that will keep the program solvent. Looking at the O’Malleys can help explain how people of slightly different ages would be affected. Under Ryan’s plan, Mike would qualify for traditional Medicare in about another decade. Nothing would change for him. “So I’m covered,” Mike O’Malley says, adding that Ryan’s proposal is “a catalyst for thought.” But Sharon, in the new pro-
gram, would have decisions to make. Whichever way she chooses, eventually she might have to pay more for health insurance than Mike, if costs grow faster than the amount the government provides. “I’m going to be the one who’s not going to have the health care,” Sharon O’Malley said. “It makes you nervous when you pay all this money into the system and it won’t be there when you need it.” Backers of Ryan’s approach say people like Sharon O’Malley should not worry. They say the plan should unleash a wave of competition that wrings waste out of the health care system and delivers quality care at affordable prices. Given the popularity of original Medicare, however, many experts think the Romney-Ryan overhaul will be a tough sell — like former President George W. Bush’s ill-fated attempt to introduce private accounts to Social Security. Indeed, even a majority of Republicans — 55 percent — prefer the idea of keeping Medicare as it is, according to a recent Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Bonnie Burns, who has spent more than 25 years counseling Medicare recipients about their benefits, says it could give rise to a new sort of family dynamic: health care envy.
W H AT ’ S N E X T • Another free-and-clear auction will be held Nov. 7 for roughly 170 properties pulled from Thursday’s sale. The county’s tax claim operator removed the properties to ensure all lien holders are properly notified. • The county also will hold a first-stage auction Sept. 20, where starting bid amounts are based on the amount of taxes owed. • Call 825-1512 or visit www.luzernecountytaxclaim.com for more information on these sales.
chased at a back-tax auction a year ago. His plans to pick up another one at Thursday’s auction fizzled when the property was pulled after a concern all lien holders weren’t properly notified. The increased popularity of back-tax auctions has boosted purchase prices of the most attractive properties, which could reduce or erase profits for buyers who must rely on outside contractors, Burkhardt said. “I can do most of the work myself, but I don’t know how long these sales will be worthwhile for people who don’t,” he said.
will be revalued when the man completes his planned renovations. A Wilkes-Barre couple presented photographs showing flooding of their two properties. Another Wilkes-Barre property owner said she purchased her West Carey Street property for $40,000 in May and said similar properties in the neighborhood have assessments in the $80,000 range. The property is assessed at $99,700. A Hollenback Township woman presented an appraisal valuing her two parcels at $88,000 in 2010. The properties are assessed at a combined $96,900. Competition for house Thursday’s sale of a Hazleton property owned by James and Michele Lee was monumental because the couple owed $170,337 in taxes from 1994 through 2011. Multiple bankruptcy filings kept the stately brick home out of tax sales until Northeast Revenue was hired by the county in 2010 and aggressively pushed for its auction listing. Several bidders battled for the property, which ultimately went to Hazle Township resident Carmen Clement for $55,000. A representative of the buyer said the property will be “fixed up and put back on the tax rolls.” A 5-acre catch basin in the Wilkes-Barre Township Commons shopping center anchored by Target was removed because of concerns an unknowing buyer or the county would end up with the liability, said Northeast Revenue owner John Rodgers. The 151 properties that didn’t sell Thursday remain in a repository, where they continue to accrue taxes that aren’t paid, unless someone submits a purchase offer accepted by taxing bodies.
AP PHOTO
Mike and Sharon O’Malley of Chicago face different Medicare futures under Republican Mitt Romney’s proposal.
“I think it would be part and parcel of whatever other family tension is going on,” said Burns, who works with the nonprofit California Health Advocates and is based near Santa Cruz. But complexity is the biggest potential problem that Burns sees. The guaranteed benefits the new plans would have to offer haven’t been spelled out, or the rules to prevent marketing abuses, or consumers’ rights in disputes with insurers. “This would split everything wide open,” said Burns, “None of the components would be the same.” The private plans currently available through Medicare are closely regulated by the government, so “there hasn’t been a big
dispute about what is and is not covered,” said Burns. It’s not clear whether Romney-Ryan would tighten the rules, loosen them or keep them the same. And she does worry about the financing. “What do we do if we end up with a whole bunch of old people who can’t afford their premiums?” asked Burns. Mike O’Malley said he brought this up to his oldest son, who is an Obama supporter. They discussed the Ryannow Romney Medicare plan over a recent dinner. He says he told his son he was getting the bad end of the deal “because I’m going to die and you’re going to have to take care of your mother. He goes, ‘I hope you leave us a lot of money.’ ”
MOVIE Continued from Page 1A
Bobby Baldano, played by DeMeo, who has been released from prison. Baldano, who is connected to the mob, must decide whether he will continue a life of crime or honor his family and make them proud – with bumps in the road along the way. On Saturday at Mount Airy Casino near Mount Pocono, where a few scenes in the movie were filmed, a sneak peek will be shown at a red-carpet event that will feature several of the actors a meet and greet. “I hope the movie is a huge success,” said Darrin Gallagher, co-owner of Ashley Furniture in Wilkes-Barre Township, who also invested in the movie. “I hope it’s the next ‘Slumdog Millionaire.’ ” Both Gallagher and Ruane said they were introduced to the project through a business acquaintance, and that each of them was immediately sold on pitching in a “piece of the pie.” “I never did think I’d be involved in something like this,” Gallagher said. “Not really knowing the movie industry…I learned some things along the way. It’s been eye opening.” Gallagher said he’s spoken to DeMeo, who owns a home in the Poconos, and has been out to dinner with him. “He’s very grounded and humble. He’s just someone nice that you enjoy speaking to,” Gallagher said. While Gallagher said he came into the picture – no pun intended – late in the game, Ruane said she actually got to see some editing of the movie in June in New York. “People invest in stock and never really know what they are investing in,” Ruane said. “To actually have something tangible that everyone can see is pretty cool.” Ruane said the movie has a little bit of everything: mafia, violence, sex and a great story line. “It reminds you of (the movie) ‘Goodfellas.’ People are drawn to that,” Ruane said. “Everyone I’ve showed the trailer to liked it a lot.”
CARTWRIGHT Continued from Page 1A
ABOUT THE MOVIE • STORY LINE: After serving several prison sentences, Bobby Baldano is out. Craving a life of inescapable crime, but desperate to honor his family, Bobby must decide whether to make his family proud or destroy what generations of Baldanos have built before him. • TRAILER: Watch the trailer and read about the cast at: www.goat-themovie.com. • SCREENING: A limited number of tickets for the screening on Saturday are available. The event begins at 8 p.m. at Mount Airy Casino in Mount Pocono. Tickets can be purchased for $15 at http:// mountairycasino.com/play/ entertainment/ special-events/.
DeMeo
Assante
CAST: William DeMeo: Movies: “Boss of Moriarty Bosses,” “Analyze That,” “Hackers” and “I am Woody”: TV: Has appeared in episodes of “The Sopranos.” Armand Assante: “American Gangster,” “Judge Dredd,” “Hoffa” and “Gotti.” Has appeared in episodes of “NCIS.” Cathy Moriarty: “Raging Bull,” “Analyze That,” “Cop Land,” “Casper” and “Bless This House.” Ice-T: has worked as a rapper; “New Jack City,” “Ricochet,” “Tank Girl” and “Law & Order SVU.” Louis Vanaria: “A Bronx Tale,” “Young at Heart”; TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” “NYPD Blue” and “Law & Order.” Al Sapienza: Well known for his role as Mikey Palmice on “The Sopranos”; has appeared in “Prison Break,” “Without a Trace,” “Law and Order,” “NCIS” and “NYPD Blue.” Tony Darrow: Played Sonny, the owner of the “Bamboo Lounge” in “Goodfellas”; mobster Larry Barese in “The Sopranos.” Vincent Pastore: “Goodfellas,” “Carlito’s Way” and “The Jerky Boys.” Played Salvatore Bonpensiero in “The Sopranos.” Kevin Youkilis: current infielder with the Chicago White Sox
D E B AT E S E T Though multiple organizations have extended offers for a debate in the 17th Congressional District, only one has been accepted by both candidates. It’s set for Oct. 17 at the PBS39 Studio in Bethlehem. Other details will be forthcoming.
gay marriage. At the time, Cartwright said his views were evolving, but, “with respect to gay marriage, I’m not there yet. I’m very old school and old-fashioned,” he said, noting he favored percent, with 22 percent strongly civil unions. “I’m not saying I’ll opposed. Cartwright said had he not run never get there.” This week, Cartwright said for Congress, he might not have reached a decision by now. he’s there. He said that as a candidate for “I’m for marriage equality,” he said in a phone conversation on Congress, he felt he needed to Thursday. “There’s no reason to make a decision. “This is a job where you have to discriminate against gay people. take positions,” he They’re not a threat said. against anybody.” “I just kept The Democratic The issue gained nominee in the 17th traction in May when thinking it District will face ReVice President Joe Biover in my publican Laureen den said he supported Cummings on Nov. 6. gay marriage. That put mind and I Cummings, of Old the spotlight on Oba- didn’t see a Forge, said her faith ma, who had been nonteaches her that gay committal to the issue. good reason marriage is wrong and A few days later he an- to discrimishe is not going to nounced his support. question her church. Cartwright said he nate against “As a Christian, I bewas not pressured to a substantial lieve the Lord says gay make the decision but it’s something he spent population of marriage, just as divorce, is wrong,” Cuma long time contem- American mings said. She said plating. citizens.” she does not support “It wasn’t any ‘ah-ha’ moment,” Cartwright Matt Cartwright gay marriage nor does Congressional she support civil said. “One thing I candidate unions, though she didn’t want to be was said if Pennsylvania rushed into (making a were to pass a law legadecision). It seemed like Vice President Biden rushed lizing either she would support the law, just not the concept. the president into it. She said gay marriage has be“I just kept thinking it over in my mind and I didn’t see a good come one of those “wedge issues reason to discriminate against a that progressives are using to disubstantial population of Ameri- vide the country, and I don’t like that.” can citizens,” he said. While he supports the premise Cartwright, 51, said while older people are reluctant to accept of gay marriage, Cartwright gay marriage, many younger, made it clear he doesn’t support more progressive people don’t any law forcing religious institusee why it shouldn’t be legalized. tions to perform a ceremony that According to The Los Angeles it found in opposition to its teachTimes, as recently as 2004, a Pew ings. “Religious freedom is of vital Research Center poll found that 60 percent of Americans were op- importance to me, and I don’t posed to allowing same-sex cou- think any church should be ples to marry, with 36 percent forced to perform a ceremony,” strongly opposed. By last month, Cartwright, an attorney, said. those opposed had shrunk to 43