[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Palmer as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Taxation — See Ch. 173.
[Adopted 1-7-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-312]
The elected Tax Collector of the Township is hereby appointed, authorized and directed to act as the Collector of Delinquent Taxes within the Township, for real estate taxes collected after the end of the tax year, but before the taxes remaining unpaid are submitted to the County Tax Claim Bureau for collection.
This appointment and authorization shall remain in effect until the Board of Supervisors, by ordinance, takes further action, as required by law.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Tax Collector during the term of this appointment, the successor Tax Collector shall automatically succeed to the powers and duties set forth herein.
The Collector of Delinquent Taxes shall not be required to give additional bond on account of this appointment.
The Collector of Delinquent Taxes shall have all the authority and power now vested by law in the Collector of nondelinquent Township taxes for the collection of such delinquent taxes.
The Collector of Delinquent Taxes shall account to the Board of Supervisors for all delinquent tax collections made in the same manner as required for the reporting of nondelinquent tax collections.
The Collector of Delinquent Taxes shall be compensated in the same manner as provided for in the collection of nondelinquent taxes within the Township.
[Adopted 7-11-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-474[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Art. II, Collection of Unpaid Real Estate Taxes and Municipal Claims for Delinquent Accounts, adopted 1-13-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-458.
A. 
The attorney fees and collection fees set forth below are hereby adopted, approved and determined to be reasonable, including, without limitation, as contemplated by § 7106 of the Act.[1] The attorney fees and collection fees set forth below shall be included and added to the applicable MCTLA unpaid claim in an amount equal to the amount set forth in this § 37-8.
(1) 
Attorney fees.
Service
Fee
Initial review and sending first legal demand letter
$175
File lien and prepare satisfaction
$250
Prepare writ of scire facias
$250
Prepare and mail letter under Pa.R.C.P. 237.1
$50
Prepare default judgment
$175
Research, prepare and obtain reissued writ
$175
Prepare praecipe to amend
$100
Prepare motion to amend
$150
Prepare motion for alternate service
$250
Prepare motion to consolidate claims
$250
Amend claim to add United States as defendant
$250
Prepare writ of execution
$800
Preparation for sheriff's sale; review schedule of distribution and resolve distribution issues
$400
Prepare motion to continue sheriff's sale
$50
Prepare petition for free and clear sale
$400
Preparation and service of subpoena
$100
Presentation of motion or petition
$50
Services not covered above
At an hourly rate between $75 and $275 per hour
(2) 
Collection fees.
Service
Fee
Validation notice
$25 per notice
Notice of delinquent claim and fee shifting
$40 per notice, plus applicable postage
Bookkeeping fee for payment plan of 3 months or less
$25
Bookkeeping fee for payment plan of more than 3 months
$50
Handling fee for returned check
$25
[1]
Editor's Note: See the Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq.
B. 
In addition to the collection fees set forth under Subsection A(2) above, the amount of out-of-pocket charges, costs, expenses, commissions and fees incurred in connection with the filing, preservation and collection of the MCTLA unpaid claims, including, but not limited to, prothonotary fees and charges, sheriff fees and charges, postage expenses, title search expenses, vehicle identification number (VIN) search expenses, skip tracing and/or other investigatory service expenses, and the costs, fees, charges and/or expenses arising out of any payment by any credit card, debit card or any other payment medium, are hereby approved and shall be included, upon incurrence, together with the applicable MCTLA unpaid claim.
Interest will be assessed upon the unpaid claims at a rate of 10% per annum and added to the unpaid claims. The Township is permitted to waive any interest on any unpaid claim when the Township or any attorney and/or third-party collector collecting the unpaid claim believes, in its discretion, that such amount is de minimis or that the cost or burden of continuing collection outweighs the benefit of collecting the interest.
The Township appoints Michelle R. Portnoff, Esquire, as Solicitor for the limited purpose of collecting the unpaid claims and hereby authorizes her, and all attorneys employed by Portnoff Law Associates, Ltd., to sign any and all documents, including municipal claims and liens, on behalf of the Township.
Should any section, paragraph, clause or phrase of this ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid by legislation or a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect.
All prior ordinances, resolutions and/or other official acts or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistencies.
This ordinance shall take effect on the earliest date permitted pursuant to applicable law.