EASTON, Pa. — Easton Area School Board will consider a pay increase for tax collectors after getting a request from workers in Forks and Palmer Townships, with the potential to set a flat rate across the district’s four municipalities.
In a letter addressed to EASD Administrative Assistant Wendy Minotti, Forks Township’s Anne Bennett-Morse and Palmer Township’s Doreen Umholtz expressed an interest in increasing the current rate for tax collection, $2.25 per transaction, be increased by $1 per transaction.
The letter said “the volume of taxes collected in 2024 is much greater than it was in 2017,” when they last got a raise.
Bennett-Morse and Umholtz also pointed to “the overall increase in the cost of living” as driving forces for the request, which they characterized as “not putting an undue burden on the school district.”
“[M]y recommendation is that we do a 35 cent increase for their raise, keeping all four of our tax collectors at the same rate.”EASD Superintendent Tracy Piazza
During the board's standing committee meeting Tuesday, EASD Superintendent Tracy Piazza suggested that each of the district’s four municipalities — Forks, Palmer, Easton and Lower Mount Bethel Township — could be increased to match the city’s current rate, $2.60 per transaction.
Piazza pointed out Lower Mount Bethel did not make a request for an increase, but “it would be the right thing to do for that threesome of tax collectors.”
“[O]ur Easton tax collection agent, which is slightly different, is not necessarily an individual person, but it's done through Berkheimer,” a tax collection agency, Piazza said to the board.
“Their base rate is $2.60, and so if we would go with the recommended amount, which is the board's option to do so, that would put them over what we're paying for Berkheimer.
"So my recommendation is that we do a 35-cent increase for their raise, keeping all four of our tax collectors at the same rate.”
Concern about salary
According to Piazza, Palmer processes about 8,900 bills a year, amounting to an approximate salary of $20,000.
With a 35-cent bump, a Palmer tax collector could expect $23,140 per year.
Board President Meg Sayago seemed receptive to the idea of a pay raise for the tax collectors, but suggested it should come with some beneficial changes for taxpayers, as well.
“I don't have a concern about the salary per se, but I did have an individual, personally this summer, who lives in Palmer Township, say that they were not able to pay their school tax bill online, and was told by the tax collector that was because of the school district,” Sayago said.
“But I know that's not true, because those of us in the city can pay online.
"So I feel like if we are going to look to be paying individuals more for this work, I think that there needs to be a conversation about that issue, because it's certainly something that people are looking to do, rather than having to pay for postage or make you the stop into the office to do it.”
'Do that for the taxpayers'
Board member Brian Snyder questioned the procedure to such a change.
“What happens if we just outright vote no?" Snyder said. "Do they stop taking the payments for us?”
District solicitor Jonathan Huerta categorized it as a “request, but certainly under my experience, boards are under no obligation to do it.”
The ramifications of such an action, however, could be problematic in the future, Huerta said.
“The effect would be that down the line, you might not get people who want to run for the position, but that’s the only effect, so you’re perfectly in line anyway,” Huerta said.
Board member Michael Simonetta, recognizing that, if adopted, the new rate would go into effect in July 2025, suggested addressing online payment options with the collectors before settling on an increase.
“I don't recollect any request or issue or denial from the district about online payments," Simonetta said. "If that can be done, we should certainly do that for the taxpayers.
"I don't know what’s going on with that; I think we should look into that and maybe have a further discussion with the tax collectors on that, and then we can follow up with the whatever the recommended increase is."
The vote on an increase for the tax collector rates could come as soon as the next board meeting, Oct. 22.
