web1_Selenski_mug_January_2015_toned.jpg

Luzerne County DA’s Office: Selenski doesn’t get to choose his court-appointed counsel

web1_dn-ptr-Wolf-041415_Sopr.jpg

State budget silence is deafening; can an agreement be near?

Tax-delinquent Luzerne County property owners who are low income and elderly or experiencing a sudden hardship will have more time to complete an application to remove their homes from the Sept. 24 back-tax auction.The application deadline will be 30 days before a sale going forward, but county tax-claim operator Northeast Revenue Service Inc. concluded more time is warranted for this sale because details of the new program weren&#8217;t finalized until recently, said company representative Sean Shamany.The office has decided to extend the deadline from Aug. 24 to Sept. 1, Shamany said.Applications are available at the tax claim office on the first floor of the county courthouse in Wilkes-Barre or at www.luzernecountytaxclaim.com.Permitted by the state Real Estate Tax Sale Law, the program is for income-eligible property owners at least 65 years old or property owners under 65 who are experiencing a significant emergency situation preventing them from paying the debt, such as unemployment or a serious injury or illness.Applications were due Monday for property owners seeking removal from the Aug. 27 sale through the hardship program.One application was submitted for this Aug. 27 free-and-clear auction.Northeast Revenue will screen the application to determine if it meets eligibility requirements and, if so, forward it to the county law office, which will decide if the removal is approved.The program for property owners under 65 allows repayment extensions up to one year if the owners enter into a repayment agreement.Qualifying senior citizens may receive an additional three months to settle the debt if they are able to pay during the extension, with the option for the law office to grant further extensions based on financial circumstances.Northeast Revenue received inquiries from around 80 property owners interested in completing hardship applications for the Sept. 24, first-stage auction, Shamany said. Applicants must submit proof of income and other records verifying their situation.The company proposed the program for owner-occupied residences because more property owners have been asking judges to remove their properties from sales due to economic struggles and illnesses in recent years. The program with qualifying parameters will reduce the need for judges to make subjective rulings on which property owners should receive more time to repay.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jennifer Learn-Andesjandes@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</shirttailMeta></div>

Deadline extended for Luzerne County back-tax auction hardship program