Commissioners table proposal to collect taxes for 24 municipalities pending payroll decision

The Lycoming County Commissioners voted to table a proposal to begin collecting local taxes for 24 additional municipalities after the county treasurer requested further discussion about pay and staffing.

Speaker 3 explained the proposal was to collect local taxes for 24 additional municipalities within Lycoming County but said the treasurer had asked that the vote be postponed because requested raises for staff who would handle the additional workload had not yet been approved. "She's not refusing to do the service," Speaker 3 later clarified in response to an online question; "she's just asking that all the ducks are in a row before the final decisions" on raises and added responsibilities.

Why it matters: Expanding tax-collection services would shift administrative responsibilities and create additional revenue streams, but it would also increase workload for the treasurer’s office. The treasurer’s request to link the expansion decision to payroll approvals underscores county staffing and budget considerations.

The board agreed to table the item by voice vote and moved on to other agenda items. A LycoWatch commenter had asked whether the treasurer was effectively refusing to collect taxes until staff received raises; the treasurer’s office (via Speaker 3) denied that characterization and insisted the county intended to proceed only after payroll issues were resolved.

Next steps: The transcript records the item as tabled pending further discussion of payroll and staffing; no new date for reconsideration was recorded in the provided text.