Tax Collection Committee Conditionally Approves ‘Berkheimer’ as Earned Income Tax Collector

By Christopher Miller

LOCK HAVEN – Representatives of the Clinton County Tax Collection Committee (TCC) met Monday evening to hear presentations from two Earned Income Tax collection organizations.

The Committee voted unanimously to name Berkheimer Digital Tax Solutions to collect Earned Income Tax as opposed to the Keystone Central Tax Office of Keystone Central School District.

The proposed seven year contract will be sent to the TCC solicitor for review and will be official upon solicitor approval.

The contract includes a flat rate $50,000 one-time set-up fee for the first year, then a 1.3% commission rate for years two through seven and a 0% commission on delinquent taxes paid. The projected five year savings based on current vs proposed rates would be $2.78 million dollars. Berkheimer also included to cover all postage on future tax mailings to residents.

Berkheimer representatives Michelle Marshall, President, Chad Pulaski, Chief Revenue Officer, Rick Stover, Chief Development Executive, and William Leonard, Director of Sales and Marketing, were all present Monday evening.

The other organization who submitted a proposal, Keystone Collections Group, offered two options.

Option A was a 1.49% commission plus actual postage and a 0% commission on delinquent taxes, while Option B offered a 1.25% commission of the school district tax collected plus actual postage, 1.95% commission on all other municipalities plus actual postage, and a 0% commission on delinquent taxes paid.

The TCC is scheduled to meet again on Monday, September 29 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers and Lock Haven City Hall.

A full story of the presentations and Committee comments will be published in the coming days.