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July 7, 2011

County homeowners to receive tax relief

John K. Manna New Castle News

NEW CASTLE — More than 24,000 Lawrence County homeowners will receive some tax relief on their school property taxes this year.

The tax breaks come by way of the state’s Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006, which provides reductions to homeowners who qualify for homestead or farmstead exemptions. The relief is funded with gaming revenue from casinos throughout Pennsylvania.

Tax cuts will range from $220.07 for New Castle homeowners to $68.38 for Neshannock Township homeowners.

Homeowners will see the reductions in their tax bills, which should be mailed out this month.

Following are the reductions, by school district, that owners of homestead properties will receive this year:

•New Castle — $220.07

•Ellwood City — $174.91

•Laurel — $166.42

•Mohawk — $169.07

•Neshannock — $68.38

•Shenango — $191.53

•Union — $157.29

•Wilmington — $151.38

•Blackhawk — $171

The state has allocated a total of $612.1 million this year from the gaming funds to the state’s 500 school districts. The state Department of Education then determined the allocation for each district based on student enrollment and local tax effort, according to Tim Eller, department spokesman.

New Castle, for example, will receive an allocation of $1,184,719.25 while Neshannock will receive $196,014.86, according to the department.

Each homeowner, regardless of the assessed value of a property, receives the same reduction in a given school district. For example, every New Castle homeowner who qualified for a homestead exemption will receive a tax reduction of $220.07.

Although the property owners will realize relief soon, districts will receive their allocations in two installments, said Joseph Ambrosini, business manager of the New Castle Area School District. The installments, or reimbursements, will be given the end of August and the end of October, he said.

Ambrosini added that the homestead program is revenue neutral for districts.

J.R. Hadester, the county’s chief assessor, explained that the reduction per homeowner is determined by dividing the allocation for a district by the number of property owners in the district who have qualified for the exemption.

The reduction this year for all property owners is slightly less than last year because more people have qualified, Hardester said.

To qualify for a homestead exemption, a property must be the permanent primary residence of the homeowner.

Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on a building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers are eligible to apply for both a homestead and a farmstead.

Once people apply for an exemption and qualify they do not need to apply again.

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