Seventeen Luzerne County municipalities raising real estate taxes

Seventeen of Luzerne County’s 76 municipalities have increased real estate taxes for 2025, according to an annual report from the county Treasurer’s Office.

The highest increase — 1 mill — is in Dallas borough, where taxes are rising from 2 to 3 mills.

To figure out the actual tax payment, the assessed value of a property must be divided by 1,000 and then multiplied by the millage rate.

For example, the owner of a $100,000 property in Dallas will now pay $300 in borough taxes, or $100 more.

Dallas Borough Manager Tracey M. Carr said Monday the borough “takes increasing taxes very seriously and has only done so twice since 2010.”

Millage was increased from 1.31 to 2.00 mills in 2021 to hire two additional full-time police officers to increase the department from four to six full-time officers, she said.

The current increase from 2 to 3 mills will double the amount of money the borough typically allocates to road maintenance, repairs, resurfacing and stormwater infrastructure repairs and replacements, Carr said.

“Dallas Borough strives to keep our roads in good condition; however, we are not gaining enough on the condition of our aging infrastructure and roads versus the toll taken with the ever-increasing severity of weather events,” Carr said in a statement.

Hazleton was next in line, with an increase of 0.983 mills.

City taxes are rising from 8.149 to 9.132 mills, which equates to a payment increase from $814.90 to $913.20 on a property assessed at $100,000.

Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat said the increase was “not a shock” because officials were aware of several fiscal challenges impacting the city in 2025, including the loss of approximately $472,000 in revenue from a city water authority agreement that expired, the expiration of a grant that provided $400,000 for police, a balloon debt repayment and more than $200,000 in general fund budget expenses for the city’s law enforcement camera surveillance system.

Rice Township had the third highest increase — 0.82 mills. Overall, the rate is rising from 0.26 mills to 1.08 mills.

Township Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Beck said clarification is warranted for property owners to understand the reason. Of the 1.08 mills, 0.78 mills will cover general operating expenses, he said. The remaining 0.3 mills is solely for a new fire tax covering payments to the Wright Township Volunteer Fire Co. to provide protection, he said.

Beck said the township has not increased real estate taxes in at least 16 years.

“It was required to balance the budget,” Beck said.

The other municipalities with increases, as shown in mills:

• Conyngham, 2.88 to 3.63 (0.75 more)

• Dallas Township, 2.8 to 3.15 (0.35 more)

• Fairmount Township, 1.2957 to 1.3475 (0.0518 more)

• Fairview Township, 1.75 to 1.85 (0.1 more)

• Harveys Lake, 0.804 to 1.0452 (0.2412 more)

• Hollenback Township, 0.55 to 0.6 (0.05 more)

• Jackson Township, 3.84 to 3.94 (0.1 more)

• Lehman Township, 3.7 to 3.85 (0.15 more)

• Luzerne, 3.9362 to 4.0129 (0.0767 more)

• Pittston Township, 1.5 to 1.9 (0.4 more)

• Sugarloaf Township, 2.48 to 2.68 (0.2 more)

• Swoyersville, 1.8 to 2.55 (0.75 more)

• West Hazleton, 5.63 to 6.38 (0.75 more)

• White Haven, 7 to 7.5 (0.5 more)

No change

Millage rates will remain the same in 57 municipalities, and there are no real estate taxes in Buck and Slocum townships.

The county report lists the following unchanged total municipal millage rates: Ashley, 4.85; Avoca, 3.1; Bear Creek Township, 0.4412; Bear Creek Village, 0.549; Black Creek Township, 0.72; Butler Township, 1.098; Conyngham Township, 1.877; Courtdale, 2.5; Dennison Township, 0.5; Dorrance Township, 0.75; Dupont, 1.725; Duryea, 2.7; Edwardsville, 4.45; Exeter, 2.0079; Exeter Township, 1.61; Forty Fort, 5.59; Foster Township, 1; Franklin Township, 0.6350; Freeland, 5.27; Hanover Township, 5.5; Hazle Township, 0.75; Hughestown, 2.4; Hunlock Township, 1.41; Huntington Township, 0.58; Jeddo, 0.336; Jenkins Township, 2.075; Kingston, 1.55; Kingston Township, 1; Laflin, 1.8476; Lake Township, 0.5; Larksville, 4; Laurel Run, 1.4683; Nanticoke, 6.9258; Nescopeck, 3.2; Nescopeck Township, 1.55; New Columbus, 0.37; Newport Township, 4.5; Nuangola, 0.444; Penn Lake Park, 4.6; Pittston, 6.85; Plains Township, 1.97; Plymouth, 7.72; Plymouth Township, 1.386; Pringle, 0.75; Ross Township, 0.44; Salem Township, 3.25; Shickshinny, 1.1329; Sugar Notch, 6; Union Township, 0.4; Warrior Run, 3.8; West Pittston, 4.295; West Wyoming, 2.5; Wilkes-Barre, 141.33 (the city did not convert to new assessments in the countywide reassessment); Wilkes-Barre Township, 2.75; Wright Township, 1.3; Wyoming, 3.7905; and Yatesville, 0.612.

County taxes

The county millage rate will remain at 6.3541 in 2025, for a payment of $635.41 in county taxes on a $100,000 property.

Combined 2024 county/municipal tax bills are targeted for issuance on Feb. 19, according to the county treasurer’s office.

Property owners will have two months to pay at a 2% discount and another two months to pay at the full, or face, amount. A 10% penalty is then added.