The Tax Collector Reality

Your property tax bill can feel personal, but the person collecting it usually has the least power over what you owe. We sit down with Mary Grace Butello, a Dunbar Township tax collector with more than two decades on the job, to separate tax policy from tax administration and to explain what really happens between a recorded deed and a Fayette County real estate tax notice landing in your mailbox.

We get specific about the real world problems residents keep running into: deeds recorded months ago that still have not been reflected in the assessment system, tax notices mailed to the wrong owner, and deadline windows that quietly cost homeowners money. We walk through how the discount and penalty periods work, why collectors cannot simply “edit” a bill on the spot, and how Act 57 of 2022 can help new homeowners request a waiver of additional charges when they never received a bill in time. If you have ever bought a house and thought “why am I being billed for something I do not own,” this conversation gives you a clear checklist of what to verify.

We also cover the practical side of paying property taxes in Pennsylvania: credit card payments through third-party processors, e-check fees, why some offices avoid cash, and when school district taxes arrive. Mary Grace explains the homestead exemption, school tax installment plans, and why millage rates make taxes feel wildly different across townships, boroughs, and cities. We end by zooming out to the county level, talking staffing, assessment accuracy, population decline, and what it would take to build a stronger local tax base.

If this helped you, subscribe for more local, plain-spoken conversations, share the episode with a neighbor who is confused about their bill, and leave a review. What question do you want us to tackle next about Fayette County property taxes or school taxes?

Transcript

Welcome And Local Frustrations

SPEAKER_03 2:01

Hey everybody, this is John Marietta, and I am the Hillbully, and it's another wonderful day here in Fayette County. Let's get started with my show. I'll tell you what, friends, I've been hearing a whole lot about a whole lot of talk around the county. Folks shaking their heads, gripping, griping about taxes, muttering that county, county government is coming to take what's theirs. But let me tell you plain and straight, those men and women down that collective taxes ain't the ones writing the rules or spending your dollars. No, sir. They're just the keepers of the gate, steady hands counting what's due so the lights don't go out and the county wheels keep turning. When you see that tax bill slide through your mailbox, don't look at it as an enemy's letter. Look at it as a reminder that somewhere, somebody's working, keep our bridges standing, our teachers teaching, and our law enforcement rolling, and our old folks tended to. The money that money fuels the heart of this community, and those tax collectors are like the arteries pumping life through it all. I hear folks say, Well, Hillbilly, I don't trust government, and I say, Amen to that. I don't trust it blindly either. But blaming the collector for the decisions made by a powerful is like blaming the mailman for bad news he delivers. They don't make the policies, they carry out the duty, they're standing in the gap, doing what needs to be done, so the rest of us can live, work, and raise our families in peace. The Bible says in Romans 13:7 render therefore all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due. Custom to whom custom. That ain't just about money, that's about respect. It's about recognizing the ones who through honest work keep the machine from falling apart. So next time you step up to pay the bill or shake hands across the counter, speak a kind word. Remember that the person behind that desk has weathered every call complaint, every glare, still shows up with a steady spirit and a servant's heart. They're not takers, they're workers. And I reckon that God's eyes, faithful work done for the good of others is just as holy as preaching from a pulpit. So I say to every tax worker in Fayette County, hold your head high, don't let the critics wear you down. Because when you work for the people and you work with integrity, you're part of something righteous. And that, my friends, is what keeps our county strong and our community whole and our faith alive. I want to thank everybody for tuning in today. Um, I have Mary Grace Butello with me. Uh, she's somewhere in the picture here. There she is. Hi. I'm intrigued by all this, Mary Grace, and uh because I think um, and you went to you. I think about going to Bible class and about Jesus and Zacchaeus. And Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and uh nobody liked Zacchaeus, but Jesus went to eat with him at his house that day, and I often think about that when I think of you because you're that kind of person that goes over and beyond, and I and not just you, uh I know other ones do, they go out of their way to help people in their times of uh in need, and nobody wants to lose their houses because they don't pay their taxes. And um, I've heard stories uh about tax collectors back in the from because I was raised in Dunbar, but I've heard stories about somebody not being able to afford to pay all pay all their taxes. Maybe they still owe twenty dollars in the tax collector taking care of it and let them pay it the next week or two weeks. I've heard that all about I've heard about tax collectors helping people find the money to pay their taxes with other means, and right, and uh I I think I think a lot of times we we we we don't understand exactly what your job is and how you do things. Um it's a it's a thankless job, I know, because you have to you're the one that takes the brunt of other people's decisions. And I know you'll agree with that because when we when they raise taxes, a lot of times you the tax collectors are the ones that have they they hear about it first. So um you've been collecting taxes in Dunbar Township for how long?

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Well, let's see, I ran for office in 2021, and and I my first year was 2022. I'm sorry, 2001, 2001, and I and I got the position in 2002. I'm sorry. So it's been over 20 years.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

So you had a senior moment there. Yeah, that's okay. When we first met, uh, I know uh I I got to meet Mary Grace through other people, and I and I I want to tell you, uh I got in I got into office, and uh one of the things one of the first people to call my office was Mary Grace, and she says to me, John, and I says, Yes. She says, I have a problem. And I said, What's your problem? She says, Well, I'm trying to find out who owns this piece of property. I said, Okay. She says, now I can look on the index for free, but I need to know I need to see the deed, and it costs me to see the deed. So what I told her was, I said, anytime you need to see a deed, you call me and I'll do everything I can to make it make that happen. If uh even if I have to drop a copy off to you, or you have to come to the courthouse and pick it up. Because what happens is this is how it's supposed to work. It's supposed to work. We get a deed in, we record it. If you walk a deed in, uh we record it that day. If it comes in the mail, it gets recorded the next day. Then we send them that information down to the tax assessment office, and they are supposed to put it up so the right person gets billed for the tax. But somehow, some way tax they get behind. Not sure exactly why. Um the county commissioner told me that I I was wrong, but I will tell you I'm right about this. A lot of right now they're they're backed up third in November. So they send out tax notices to the tax collectors. Now she sends them out to the people that are she thinks owes the property, but the properties were sold back in November and December, and some of them even in January. I can understand ones in January, or maybe even February not being caught up, but it should be about a seven-day process, not five months. I have that correct.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

Uh, yeah, John, you're correct. Now, um, a few years back, uh, the county made a decision to put map numbers on those deeds before they get recorded in your office. And I'm not sure if that was like a mandated thing or I don't know, but um, it is a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Yeah.

Why Bills Go To Wrong Owner

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Okay. So um there is a clerk that works in the assessment office, and when anyone records a deed, they have to go um to that clerk and get that UPI number or the parcel number on that deed, and then it gets recorded. So that's how that works. And you are correct in stating that they are behind in those sales, probably going back to November. Um, I have been getting several calls as well as other tax collectors. Uh, you know, the new owners don't understand why they're receiving these tax notices, but I I believe those tax bills are printed probably, I'm gonna say maybe mid-January or late January. Um, we usually get the tax bills the first week of February, but we got them late this year. So, you know, uh we apologize, you know, if folks didn't get their bills till the latter part of the first week of March, they should have gotten them at least by the second or the third of March. But, you know, by law we have 30 days to get those taxes out, and there's a lot of work um after we get those tax bills. We have to uh send those bills out to the mortgage companies and third parties that request a copy of those taxes, so it's very time consuming. Um and um yeah, they are behind. I don't know if it's short staffed, maybe that's the issue. Um, I'm not really sure, John, but yeah, you are correct.

SPEAKER_03 10:48

We're gonna look into this a little bit more. Every time, every year I look into it, they tell me that uh they're they're the they're gonna get caught up in a big hurry. And usually once I start questioning things, that that's what happens. But what here's what the problem is somebody sold their property to somebody else in November. Now it's still is still coming in the wrong name, and uh we we so I mean you can understand even the middle of January, but what I'm what what I'm what I'm worried about more than anything, which I'm a lot of people have questioned me about, is there's a you get there's different prices, you get a discount for paying your taxes early. Like what's the first what's the first okay?

SPEAKER_01 11:35

So so yeah, so there's a two percent discount that's given if you pay the taxes within the first 60 days. Uh the next 60 days there's no discount, but there's no penalty also, and then it goes into penalty. That's correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:48

Yeah, then like then after then after after the after 120 days, then you pay, I think it goes the opposite way. You pay you pay uh two percent more, I think it is.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Well, actually, no, actually the county charges a 10% penalty. Um, and all the boroughs and townships in Fayette County share the same tax notice except uh the cities. Um, and so each municipality is different. Some municipalities charge a five percent, some charge ten percent. Um, but that information is located on the bottom left of the tax bill.

SPEAKER_03 12:23

Well, and here's what happens, and what I'm seeing, and and you you got your property tax that's went up a great deal because of the because of the the county raised their everybody's taxes um a couple years ago. And uh it was a Christmas gift they gave us. Um the county commissioners at the time. They raised them uh 23 a little over 23 percent. But what it what what I'm trying to say is is uh you get through that first uh uh what is it, 120 days. Now you're looking at another bill for your school taxes that's coming pretty soon. It's already it's already on your doorstep, so so it's already in your mailbox. So that's that's where people get themselves in trouble. And um they what I'm what I'm saying is is uh if uh if it isn't corrected, then the next thing you know there's penalties that have to be taken care of. And and like, okay, just let's let's do a scenario real quickly. Joseph Smith, okay, that he he sold his property in November, okay. Uh they they didn't notify they didn't get it corrected that he sold his property, so now he's getting a bill uh it for the taxes still that's coming to him. And the real property owner doesn't get the bill. So um well what happens is uh the time Joseph Smith gets back to figuring out what's going on, which which could be uh you know 30 days now get it to the right person, get it corrected, that could take another another week or so. Now that person's lost the two percent discount. So what happens there? Do they do they grant them the two percent discount if they pay it within, or do they have to pay that by the time that stops?

Discounts Penalties And Act 57

SPEAKER_01 14:18

Okay, so so this is what happens. So once we send those taxes out, we as tax collectors are not permitted to change any information on that tax notice until we get notified from the assessment office. And um, every month, and usually it's the first week of the month, however, this is a little different this month. Um, we get a change packet. And in that change packet, we have our corrections, addition, new charges, and we also have our name and address changes. Now, it is not mandatory for a tax collector to remail that tax bill to the new owner. Um, we get paid per bill, so so we don't get paid for that, John. But I can tell you that majority of the tax collectors, if not all of us, um, will send that tax bill out to the new owner. Now, you are correct, you know, you have 60 days to pay to get the discount, 60 days of face, and then it goes into penalty. And that's why back in 2022, uh the Pennsylvania, the legislators, um, they came up with this Act, um, I believe it's Act 57 of 2022. And what it is, it's a request for waiver of additional charges for real estate taxes. So if you are a new homeowner, or you know, you can be an owner of a mobile home too, um, and if you have not received your tax bill, um, and it is now in penalty, uh, you have one year from the date that you made that purchase to go to that tax collector, fill out the waiver. You have to answer the questions on here, because I have a copy right here, um, along with a copy of the deed, and the tax collector is to accept your payment without penalty. Now they won't get the discount, but they will not have to pay the penalty. And when I say tax collector, wherever those taxes are, whether they're at the tax collector's office or whether they're at the Fayette County Tax Claim Bureau, the tax collector must accept this waiver, this signed waiver, along with a copy of the deed at the time of payment. They must accept it.

SPEAKER_03 16:50

So the thing that I'm thinking about in my mind, rolling around in my mind right now, you as a tax collector get paid per piece, right? Per per parcel that you send out. So, and you get paid approximately a dollar and a half.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

Uh, no, it was three dollars and five cents. I believe it's three dollars and thirty cents this year.

SPEAKER_03 17:15

Okay, so it's three dollars and thirty cents, okay, that you get paid for each parcel. Uh you've you've taken out of your budget the whatever the mailing is to mail that. Now you've got to remail it again. So who picks up the second mailing? Does it tax collector yourself?

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Well, well, um, so um the county and the township, um, they share the cost of the postage in the envelopes. Okay. Okay. Um and so uh when we send out, we do send out reminders after the face period. That's mandatory. But other than that, if we send that tax notice to the new to the new owner, we usually we usually pay for the postage ourselves.

Paying By Card Check Or Cash

SPEAKER_03 18:44

I don't know. Uh see, I I I I don't I understand how this works, but I've never paid my taxes myself. My wife is always taking care of okay. So I mean, I this is I mean, this is a learning process for me too, because I'm thinking, like, I I I would never uh I mean uh I just hand it to her. I say, here, I guess this needs taken care of, and she's okay, and then that's the way it works at our house. And I'm sure it works that way in a lot of people's houses, they just don't now. I have another question. When I come to pay my taxes at Mary Grace's Dunboard Township tax collector, but is the do you take credit cards?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

I do, I do take credit cards. Um, by law, I have to go through a third party, I cannot collect fees over the counter. And the third party that I use is allpay.com and uh the Faye County Tax Uh Bureau also um uses the same agency. Um if you pay with a debit or credit, it's gonna charge you, I think, two percent. But if you use a check, which they called an e-check, it's two dollars.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

Okay, but if I but if but if you pay with just a regular check, it it's whatever the amount is on the bill, like out of your bank account. Correct. And and does the I maybe this isn't something you want known, but do you accept cash also?

SPEAKER_01 20:10

Um, I accept cash. Um, there are some collectors who do not accept cash. The city of Conasil do not does not accept cash. And actually, John, I I did call um Harrisburg about this several years ago because I couldn't understand, you know, why uh a tax collector would not accept cash because that's legal tender. And I was told that, you know, just because of the times that we live in, um, that if an agency doesn't want to accept cash, there's really no nothing, you know, on the books that says they have to.

School Taxes Homestead And Installments

SPEAKER_03 20:50

And and I can understand that because um if I mean I don't know how many people come to see you every day, but I imagine in Dunbar Township, I don't know what I don't know what the residency is there, but or the people that own properties, but I mean they would come, you know, and if they ever if everybody brought cash, you'd have a significant amount of cash at the end of the day. Just for security reasons, you wouldn't want to be sitting on that much cash. Correct um, uh I guess it's a good thing you know a good constable, take you to the bank. Uh, so, anyways, uh, but okay, so okay, we paid our taxes. Uh, we we just say everything went right for us this year. Uh, we uh and we paid our property taxes, we got our two percent discount, but then we turn around and when does the school taxes start coming in?

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Well, the school taxes are dated August 1st, okay. Um, and all the school districts in Fayette County are mandated uh to allow for a payment plan option. Um, and they don't have to allow every parcel. I believe they only have to allow parcels that are homestead approved. And when I say homestead approved, so every property owner in Fayette County who owns property, lives in a dwelling, and even if you're an owner of a mobile home, um, you have to live on that property, or you have to be living in the mobile home. Um, that homestead exemption is a credit that comes off the school tax. For every school district, every year it's a different amount. There's a formula that they use, and I'm not familiar with with how that works. But for example, in the Conoswary School District last year, the credit was$268.16, and that comes right off of the school tax. Now, as far as the payment plan option goes, most school districts here in Fayette County offer a three installment payment. And I believe the first payment is due by September 30th, and then October 31st, and then November 30th. Um, most of the school districts in Fayette County only allow the home, the parcels that are homestead approved in that installment plan. But here in the Consul Area School District, we Allow every parcel in the installment plan. And we actually have four installments instead of three.

SPEAKER_03 23:22

So yours would start September, October, November, December?

SPEAKER_01 23:27

No. So ours is August, September, October, November. So we and we offer four four payment installment plan, which really does help a lot of folks out.

SPEAKER_03 23:37

Now they don't they now would you like to see them implement that at the county level?

SPEAKER_01 23:43

Well, John, it could be implemented at the county level, but there's only one problem. Because the county uh shares that same tax notice with the municipalities, with the townships and boroughs, it would really be very hard because you would have to figure out, and there would be no room on the bill. You'd have to figure out who gets what. So, in order for that to happen, and they could do it, the county would have to have its own tax bill.

SPEAKER_03 24:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

And that would probably be the only way to do that.

SPEAKER_03 24:19

What you're saying is you'd pay the property taxes due to the county separately from what you paid Redstone Township. Correct. They would each have to have their own separate bill. Okay, and and okay. And um, how how how does that break down? Now that this is not I I I'm I'm really okay. So Dunbar Township, I pay the county get uh get uh okay. Well, since you're a Dunbar Township tax collector, how much does Dunbar Township get out of that tax bill?

SPEAKER_01 24:50

Okay, so let's talk about that.

SPEAKER_03 24:52

Let's use a thousand dollars just to make it easier.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Most municipalities here in Fayette County, with the exception of the boroughs, I think the boroughs' millages are a little higher. Um, most townships have a very low millage rate, and I'll give you an example. So I have a bill in front of me. Um, it has an assessed value of 52,830.

SPEAKER_05 25:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

The county base amount is 447.18. The my township is$30.54. Wow. Um, and that's due to the millage rate. Our millage rate is 0.578, and it's been 0.578, I think, for like 50 or 60 years. It's never gone up.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

That's not even the county, the townships aren't even getting 10% of what of the no.

SPEAKER_01 25:42

Correct. That's correct. Right, right. My millage rate's just a little bit over a half a mil. Correct.

SPEAKER_03 25:48

So they're so they're they're offer, so they're there's the it costs that much more to run uh wow, wow.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Well, well, yeah, well, you have to understand, John, that municipalities get um they get those liquid fuel monies to maintain their rights.

SPEAKER_03 26:07

I understand that, yes.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

Okay, and and uh, and I can't tell you for sure because I don't know, but I'm kind of thinking that most municipalities use those liquid fuel monies to pay their salaries.

SPEAKER_03 26:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:22

Um, so being that said, they probably don't have a whole lot of overhead like a county would.

SPEAKER_03 26:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

Now, now boroughs, most boroughs' millage rates are a little higher. Um, and you know, that could be, you know, liquid fuels, they would get less money, and liquid fuels, they would have, you know, less roads to take care of.

SPEAKER_03 26:46

I understand that. So, so that's why, okay, that would make sense. That's why, like the you know, uh a borough or a city, the the millage rate would be a little bit higher because they don't they they're not able to collect that liquid fuel money.

SPEAKER_01 27:01

Correct. Now, like for the city of Conazville, their millage rate is 8.25. Okay, so now the county right now is 8.46448. So, so you know, they're real close now between you know the city of Conizal, their millage rate, and the county.

SPEAKER_03 27:22

And that's why, and see, this is one of the things I get lots of phone calls on Mary Grace, and and uh people that live in the city of Uniontown, how much they have to pay in taxes, and it it's it I don't know what the millage rate is in Uniontown. You probably can look it up real quick, but you probably have it in front of you know in you, but but but it's it it's like a lot more money, and people are really really that's why they're having trouble keeping people in Uniontown because of the price of the the property taxes. I I know one lady that uh she's a retired person, and she told me she's looking for a piece of property, Bayette County, outside of the city, because because what because it it her taxes she said would go down, be almost cut in half.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

Correct. You're right, John. You're right. So when people are looking to purchase property, you know, a lot of times they don't really look at that, they don't find out how much the taxes are, and then you know, after they purchase a property, you know, they'll call. I know it's happened to me that I've gotten calls at my office. Hey, what is this? Is this the only tax tax I have to pay? Is this county township tax? I'm like, no, you have school tax to pay. Well, what's it gonna be? Oh my god, they didn't realize it. People don't realize that, but they really need to look at that because that's important.

SPEAKER_03 28:48

I've I I I I was looking at uh a couple different things, but I actually had friends of mine that lived in West Virginia, and they moved back here, and and they they they moved back here because of the their jobs was in Pittsburgh. So they moved into Fayette County thinking that it would be cheaper. And I uh I uh thought that uh uh I um they thought it'd be cheaper to move back, move into Fayette County, and I told them and when they started getting their tax bills, they said and they lived in the city and they couldn't believe it. They just couldn't believe it.

SPEAKER_01 29:28

Right, yeah. So I'm on the Fayette County, I'm on the Fayette County uh website. Uh Uniontown City. Uh let me take a look, John. Hold on a minute.

SPEAKER_03 29:42

But I I know I know this one particular 13 mils, John.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

13 mils is a city.

SPEAKER_03 29:47

And in the in in the the county is 8.185?

SPEAKER_01 29:52

8.46448.

SPEAKER_03 29:55

Okay, right.

SPEAKER_01 29:57

So their city tax is actually more than their county.

SPEAKER_03 30:00

So it's it's five mils more, yeah.

Property Tax Rebate And Eligibility

SPEAKER_01 30:03

And then they're hit with the school. Last year their school was uh 18.76. That's pretty high. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

Well, they and and and the problem is that that um the as things go on, is it's is as people move out of the county and and our population decreases, it it's it's more of a burden on the people that stay.

SPEAKER_01 30:28

Yeah, you're absolutely right, John. And when people come to my office, um you know, and you know, they they tell me that, you know, it's getting harder for them with these taxes, you know, the first thing I always say to them is, um, you know, are you eligible for property rebate? And they'll say, Well, what's that? And then I explain it to them. So if you're 65 and older, 50 older widow widower, or 18 and permanent disabled, you could be eligible for property tax rebate, John. Um, and the rebates can be$1,000 and up. I mean, it all depends. And you are allowed to make up to$48,110, and you only have to count half of your Social Security. Now, if you're married, of course, you know, you have to use both incomes. But I have a lot of people that come in and when I ask them, they're like, no, what's that? And found out that they could have been getting this for years. But that property rebate, once you fill out that application, those rebates come out in July, and a lot of people use those monies to pay their school tax.

SPEAKER_03 31:45

Well, that makes that makes good that makes good sense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

I just I just wish they would lower it instead of 65. I wish it could be 60 or even 55 would help a lot of people out.

SPEAKER_03 31:55

Well, what what I'm thinking about is is you got you have in of course I always revert back to farmers. I do. And and I think about man and a woman, they bought a they bought a farm when they were younger, and now they own they own this 50 or 60 acres and they're they're paying taxes on it. And now now they're 60 years old and they're getting ready to retire. And and of course their their retirement income might not be, you know, I mean, depending on what their jobs were, or if they worked on the farm, that they might not have, but and like you say, that's a that's a good thing if they could get they can get a thousand dollar rebate if they make less than well the the total family income has to be less than 48,000, correct?

SPEAKER_01 32:38

Well, it doesn't go by the family income, it only goes by a husband and wife.

SPEAKER_03 32:43

Okay, so the it'd be it'd be the the it'd be the income in the the the household income, actually, not the household income, just the husband and wife.

Jobs Population Decline And County Vision

SPEAKER_01 32:55

Okay, just whose ever name is on the deed.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

But but even even if just a husband's name on the deed and not the wife, we still have to use a wife's income. Okay, so that's one way they can save money, but you know, like I said, I just wish they could lower it, John.

SPEAKER_03 33:15

Well, you know in order in order to lower lower taxes, we have to cut, we have to get rid of a lot of big government, a lot of overhead. Uh um, and that's that's what we have to do. We uh I think that and we have to the other thing is in order to help out with people's taxes, we have to get businesses, manufacturers to build things in this county.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

Yeah, the thing about it is, you know, I agree with you what you're saying. You have to have more business come in to attract more people to come in. We don't have that, and here in Dunbar Township, the biggest employer we have here is a school district. I mean, that's pretty bad when the school district is your biggest employer, John. That that's just not good.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

It's not good.

SPEAKER_01 34:09

No, it's not, but no, I don't know what the county's gonna do when Penn State leaves.

SPEAKER_03 34:15

We're yeah, and we're and we're old enough, at least I am. I'm not gonna tell your age, uh at least at least I am. I remember when anchor hawking when there was a cap and a glass plant. I remember when Fruhoff was out there on 119. Uh I remember with steel scaffolding was out there, yeah. Uh plus plus you had you had uh Mount Braddy coal mine was operating still. Uh and I remember all these things, and it seemed like we it seemed like things were going along a lot better than they are right now, and it seems like we're in a we're in a struggle for every dollar that we need to keep things going. So I don't know. Do we need to live do we need to get we need to get manufacturers back in? Now I know out on the big six road out there, there's Boeings out there, and uh that that's I don't know exactly how many they employ, but there's other employers out there. But I think we need to figure out how we can do things to get somebody here. We need to we need to build something in Fayette County, right?

SPEAKER_01 35:24

Well, well, John, excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt you, but here in my township, uh the older people that come in tell me that years ago, uh there was talk of putting a corridor in from 119 out to the area where the anchor hawking was.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

Okay, yes, there was talk about building, and I don't know if you remember that, but there was talk about because I remember I remember going down for some reason that my we we they were going to cross the river uh in a different way.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

Right, right, and so if that would have happened, then there's a good possibility that other manufacturing would have come to anchor hawking instead of instead of that being just you know everybody losing their jobs, nothing coming in there. But we didn't do that, so I think what Fayette County needs, we need a we need a person to sell Fayette County. We need to give these businesses incentives to come to Fayette County, but we have to have the workforce that's educated and and and is skilled enough to take on those jobs. So we actually need a salesperson.

SPEAKER_03 36:35

We do. We need we need somebody that's has a vision, and I think that's what we lack of. That's what our biggest lack is right now. And um, I've talked to I've got to meet with several of the engineering firms since I've been that are located here in the county, and um I've got to I've got to meet with people in different different engineering firms outside of the county, also. So and one of the things the biggest thing they said is that they said they say that our commissioners have no vision, they they have no vision, they they they you they they're worried about the one trying to do the same thing over and over again, hoping for a better result, and it it just doesn't work.

SPEAKER_01 37:21

So we're on okay. I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt you again, but I'm gonna give you my take on this, okay? Go ahead. Now, when you bring more businesses into the county, you're gonna bring more people in from other areas. When you bring more people in from other areas, then the politics might change, okay? And perhaps that's not what Fayette County wants. Do you understand what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_03 37:53

I'm smiling, I'm here, I hear everyone you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 37:56

Okay, because when you have more influx of people coming in, then you can't get maybe people who hold these political positions, you know, maybe they'll be challenged, maybe they won't get re-elected, maybe one of these newer folks will get re-elected with different ideas, and maybe just maybe the county doesn't want that.

SPEAKER_03 38:19

I I agree with you wholeheartedly, and I really like that. I like how you say that. That that it and and that's part that's partly, I think that's part of the idea. We we want to we want things to stay the same as they always were. Yes, John. I but that was the other thing when I first got to the courthouse, and I I uh I was I started asking questions about doing things this way or that way, or is there a better way to do things, or is there a better way that we can save money? And when I got I got told, well, we I got told not just I I I have an amazing staff. I have I have an amazing staff in the report. You do, you do and I I I can't thank them enough, but it was out, it was more outside, and I was asking, I was asking other questions, and they pretty much told me that they said we're gonna do the just do it the same as was done last year, and it'll be and and just we'll just keep on moving forward. But we're not moving forward, we're we're not even stagnant now. We're we're we're we're now we're just trying to to hold ground. I mean, and we're losing a little bit every day because people are leaving the county. I mean, correct. And that's what the problem is. Well, I mean, we're down to real close to less. Uh real, I'm under the understanding that it we're we're down to less than 120,000 residents in the county right now. And uh then the number could be off by two or three thousand. I and but um but we'll let's just say 120,000. So we're operating the county at the wrong level to begin with. So I don't know where it's all is going to fit in. I don't want to go backwards, I want to go forward. So, in order to go forward, you're right. We have to find somebody to sell it. Can you remember how many guys worked at the railroad when you were a kid? I mean, get just think about it. The coal that flew that was on the trains going by. I remember sitting uh up at Camp Carmel watching watching the cars from the different factories going up and down the railroad. We don't have that no more. You don't see that. So I don't know, maybe maybe I'm looking at things, maybe maybe I'm you know, maybe I um people think I I I'm I'm uh I'm drinking too much coffee or tea or something, and I and I don't see reality, but I do see the reality of it. I see people hurting. I and we we're talking about taxes, and you've been very informative about that. And and we we need to have another conversation about this. And I think it's been a good conversation, but uh I think that in order to fix things, we have to change our way of doing things.

SPEAKER_01 41:03

That's correct, John. That's absolutely correct.

SPEAKER_03 41:06

So, and and a lot of people uh they won't uh they may not agree with me about uh the way I look at things nationally, but I I'm I'm for Fayette County a hundred percent. I I want to see I want to see everything to be, you know, I want to see everything to be good. I mean, I want it I want Fayette County to be like a Hallmark uh Christmas special. I mean, that's what I want. I mean, but I know that it's gonna take a lot of work, and I know that people have to come together in order to do that, but but it's just like you say, it seems like if you get these big manufacturers in there, you get different people living here, they might not vote the same as they're voting now. Uh-oh, I might not get re-elected.

SPEAKER_01 41:49

That that's correct, John. You're absolutely correct.

Layoffs Staffing And Parcel Number Errors

SPEAKER_03 41:53

So, Mary Grace, is there anything you would like to conclude with? I I really appreciate you coming on today, and I think it was been a tremendous conversation, it's been very informative. I know we could go into a whole lot of other things about the taxes, uh, and I and maybe next time we'll do a little bit of a breakdown of just exactly how how the taxes get get spent. But uh I didn't realize that uh the townships got less than 10 percent. Uh, I I didn't realize that. I thought it was I thought it was like at least a third, but uh I can I can right right, John.

SPEAKER_01 42:27

And and like we discussed, you know, municipalities, you know, they get those liquid fuels to maintain those roads, and you know, they don't have the expenses that the county has. Um, but but John, I know there there's been layoffs at the county. There has you would know more about this than me, but I have heard that there have been layoffs, and actually they did um they did lay off uh the tax collector reconciler Mike Zimkowski. Um, and we still don't know who's going to be taking over his job, but you know, do you know what the reason is for the layoffs?

SPEAKER_03 43:04

They're they're saying they're trying to cut, they're trying to they're trying to trying to cut the budget, but uh I don't see how that works because uh the the there was one lady that uh that did uh the parcel numbers for us. So that's that's just the easiest way to do it that goes on your deed before we file it. There was one lady that worked full time, and uh she she we we did have we had very few problems. I mean, if there was a mistake, it got she she usually caught it herself if she made a mistake. She and uh she'd come back up the next day and we'd it'd get fixed. But um there what I want to tell you is is she worked full-time. Now they replaced now. They replaced her with two part-timers, and and I and and me that now you got two employees, okay. And from and a part-time person at the county level can only work like 1100 hours a year. So so now we're gonna they're gonna run out of hours sometime in May or June, and then we're gonna have to have two more people. And when you when you're changing hands this many times, things there's gonna be mistakes made. And right, right.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

Well, we talked about this, John, and I told you it should be the mapping department that puts those UPIs on those deeds. It only makes sense. Um, and actually, I I told you that I had a gentleman that came from Cranberry, he drove all the way down from Cranberry to let me know he was upset that he's no longer the owner of this property, and I told him I'd take care of it. Uh, and when I looked on your index, I saw the mortgage but no deed. So when I called your office, your clerk did some investigating, and it turns out that there was the wrong UPI put on the deed. Now that's pretty serious. Um, and that can lead to a lot, a lot of problems.

SPEAKER_03 44:54

So, you know, hopefully it actually could lead eventually if it's not caught and goes on long enough where somebody doesn't, it could actually end up in a sheriff's sale.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

Right. Not only that, but I I don't know how it would affect on the billing end. You know, would that incorrect parcel be then on the tax notice? I don't know. But um, you know, things like this. I don't think the commissioners really understand how important things like this are and the assessment office. Cause I'm thinking probably uh the taxes probably gives a county at least 75% of their revenue, John. Do you know that? That's what I'm thinking.

SPEAKER_03 45:34

I would say you're you're real close to that. I I would say that you're you're quite uh correct with that. Probably close to it's it's between 70 and 75 percent.

SPEAKER_01 45:44

And so if I were commissioner, I would make sure that that office has everything they need um to keep up with things. Now, I've even had collectors tell me that there are new homes that were built three years ago that's still not on the tax roll. So, you know, the county and these municipalities are losing out. So I don't know whether it's um a shortage, a work staff shortage, I'm not sure, but you would think that they would really want to make sure that that department was, you know, that that department was given what they need and that they would be, you know, up to date on things, John, because that's real important.

What New Homeowners Should Do

SPEAKER_03 46:24

Yeah, and and the the twenty dollars that they collect for each each parcel number goes directly to the county. So that's I mean the the biggest percentage of that goes to the county. Um so that that's one of the things I will that it doesn't stay at the recorder's office like other fees. Um but anyways, I mean, of course we we have to send in the the but we we get back uh uh I forget how much it is for every deed right now, but uh it it's not it's it's not an amazing amount of money uh to operate the office with. But uh we do get some back from the state. We did in but the state get state gets their their taxes, the uh county, the township gets their part or township or borough gets their part, and uh that's how that works. But anyways, uh uh Mary Grace, I do want to thank you. If there's anything else you want to say right now about or you can you got on your mind, let's go ahead and get it done. I'm gonna I'm gonna conclude this uh up here in about a minute or two.

SPEAKER_01 47:27

Okay, so hold on just one second. Okay, so I just wanted to let everyone know. Um, if you're a new homeowner and you didn't get your taxes, um please contact your your local tax collector and let them know. Uh we have not got our changes yet for the month. Uh so the only way we would know is to get on your website, John, and pull those up. But unfortunately, you you have the grantor grantee, but you don't have a parcel ID. And that's the very most important part that we need. Um, so yeah, if you're a new homeowner, you haven't received your tax bill, please call your local tax collector so they can get you that bill out as fast as possible.

SPEAKER_03 48:07

I will get, like I said, anytime you call, I try to get you them numbers as quickly as I can.

SPEAKER_01 48:12

Oh, I know you do. I know you do, John. And your office is great. But you know, we have like what 42 tax collectors, and you can't be having all of them call your office and information.

SPEAKER_03 48:23

They shouldn't have to, but uh we're gonna find we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna see how this works out.

SPEAKER_01 48:28

So all right, John. Well, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Closing Thoughts Sponsors And Safety

SPEAKER_03 48:33

I I want to thank you, but I tell you what, it was very informative, and I can't wait to I can't wait to do another segment with you about this because the I don't think a lot of people know they're just like me. They their wife takes care of it or their spouse takes care of it, and they just don't pay no attention to it. I think I think you've been it was very informative of what you did today. I really appreciate it, Mary Grace.

SPEAKER_01 48:54

Sean, thank you so much, and you just have a great afternoon, okay?

Event Plug And Phone Number

SPEAKER_03 48:58

I will. So uh I'm gonna close up like I do all my shows. I want to thank all my sponsors uh uh for everything they do. Um, and it the I would do wanted to let everybody know the podcast is really taken off. We had some problems uh trying to get this uh segment done yesterday with the wind and everything going on, and hopefully everybody uh if they had a tree fall down, it it uh fell down in a place where it didn't hurt anything or any of their property. Uh, let's be safe out there. We don't own we're not all uh lumberjacks. So let's uh be safe. Let's call somebody that uh can take care of that. And uh if if it if it if there's any if it's out in the middle on your house or something, we don't need it going through the roof, so um the trees or anything. So I'm gonna close up all my uh shows like I do all the time. On on this road called life, you have to take the good with the bad. Smile when it's just sad, love what you got and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget. People change, things go wrong. Just remember the ride goes on. God bless each and every one of you. I'm John Marietta, and I am the Hillbilly.

SPEAKER_00 50:06

Senator Ted Cruz is coming to Western Pennsylvania on March 26th as the headline speaker for the PA Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner and reception. Other speakers include Ralph Reed, Turning Point Action, and Helen Comporatory. Time's running out. Call this number at 10210, 724-859-00193. That's 724 859 2019.