Coaldale officials asked Schuylkill County Court on Friday to direct the county to forgive back taxes on two properties it acquired with the intention of razing the buildings on them.
In its petition, Coaldale termed the county’s declining to forgive the taxes on 138-140 Fisher Ave. arbitrary and an attempt to force it to pay taxes sowed by the former owners.
“Any denial of the request ... is effectively insisting that Coaldale Borough pay taxes for which it is not responsible,” according to the petition.
Borough officials asked the court to force the county to show why the taxes should not be forgiven.
Coaldale alleged it bought the properties on Oct. 13, 2015, in order to tear them down “due to the extremely dilapidated condition” of each.
The borough said it intends to forgive any taxes owed to it, and Panther Valley School District intends to do the same, with its school board unanimously voting at its May 12 meeting to do so, but the county indicated it could not.
However, the county does not have the authority under state law, specifically the General County Assessment Law and the Fourth through Eighth Class County Assessment Law, to insist that a municipality pay taxes on property it owns, according to the petition.
“The County’s position not to exonerate or forgive the back taxes incurred by the prior owner ... is arbitrary and capricious and without basis,” the petition reads in part.