Bradley: Stop ‘predatory’ tax collection

A Lehighton Area School District board member is hoping to end what he termed “predatory tactics” by the district’s tax collection agency.

During Monday night’s meeting, David Bradley told the board he wanted to stop Portnoff Law Associates from threatening people with added legal fees to try to collect small amounts of delinquent taxes.

“It creates an added burden against the very individuals who make up our district,” Bradley said. “You don’t use a sledgehammer to get a nickel. The sledgehammer is more expensive than the nickel.”

Bradley said he went to the Carbon County prothonotary’s office and printed out 24 pages of legal action filed by Portnoff against district taxpayers with outstanding balances. Some of the past due bills, he added, were as small as $50.

“I was actually surprised at how low the past due dollar average is,” Bradley said.

Lehighton’s business administrator, Patricia Denicola, said the district will present how much money has been collected as well as what Portnoff has charged as fees at the next finance committee meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. March 9.

Hiring a firm to recoup as much tax money as possible is not unique to Lehighton.

Northern Lehigh and Panther Valley school districts use Portnoff to collect delinquent taxes. Palmerton, Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe school districts use Berkheimer and Associates.

Director Rita Spinelli said while she sympathizes with individuals struggling to pay their taxes, creating fairness among taxpayers is a priority.

“If the rest of us pay our taxes and some people don’t, that is why you send out collection agencies,” Spinelli said. “It isn’t to harass people. Is it fair some people pay their taxes and some don’t?”

During public comment to the board, taxpayer Barbara Bowes spoke of her personal experience with Portnoff.

“I was in that position and the letters I got and papers hung on my gate, it was terrible,” Bowes said.

Lehighton has used Portnoff as its delinquent tax collection agency for a number of years. Former board member Gloria Bowman tracked the recommendation back to former business administrator Brian Feick.

“He recommended Portnoff because they had a better record of collecting taxes,” Bowman said. “Portnoff has always worked with anyone who has delinquent taxes whether it be a payment plan or some other way. I can also recall our solicitor Mr. (William) Schwab saying if people have issues, come in talk to the business office and we’ll try to work up a plan for anyone having a hard time.”

Bradley said he’s not looking to absolve anyone of paying their taxes, but instead is, “aiming for a moral ideology change within the district.”

“Maybe it was something done in the past to try to get money,” director Gail Maholick said in defense of Bradley’s comments, “but maybe it’s just not the right thing to do.”