Borough of Jersey Shore, PA Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Program

Any industrial, commercial or other business property owned by an individual, association or corporation and located in a deteriorating area, as hereinafter provided, or any such property which has been the subject of an order by a government agency requiring the unit to be vacated, condemned or demolished by reason of noncompliance with laws, ordinance or regulations. Ordinary upkeep and maintenance shall not be deemed an improvement and should not result in an increased assessed value and taxation.

IMPROVEMENT

Repair, construction or reconstruction including alterations and additions having the effect of rehabilitating a deteriorated property so that it becomes habitable or attains higher standards of safety, health, economic use or amenity, or is brought into compliance with laws, ordinances, or regulations governing such standards. Ordinary upkeep and maintenance shall not be deemed an improvement.

LERTA

The Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act, the Act of December 1, 1977, P.L. 237, No. 76, 72 P.S. Section 4722, et seq.

§ 272-46 Eligible areas.

The Borough Council determines that the lot identified in Attachment 1[1] hereto, which is incorporated herein as if fully set forth at length, located in the Borough of Jersey Shore shall be the area which contains and consists of property which is eligible for tax exemption under this article. Additional eligible areas may be included from time to time by ordinance of the Borough Council. The lot included within the deteriorated area and subject to the benefits of this article are as set forth in Attachment 1 hereto.

[1]

Editor’s Note: Attachment 1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.

§ 272-47 Exemption.

The amount to be exempted from real estate taxes shall be limited to that portion of the additional assessment attributable to the actual cost of new construction or improvements to deteriorated property in accordance with the exemption schedule established by this article.

The minimum cost of the new construction or improvements to qualify for the exemption is $25,000.

The exemption from real estate taxes shall be limited to that improvement for which an exemption has been requested in the manner set forth in this article and for which a separate assessment has been made by the Lycoming County Board of Assessment Appeals.

§ 272-48 Exemption schedule.

The schedule of Borough taxes to be exempted shall be in accordance with the below portion of improvements to be exempted each year.

(1)

For improved/developed properties:

Length (year)	Portion (percent)
First	100%
Second	100%
Third	75%
Fourth	75%
Fifth	50%
Sixth	50%
Seventh	25%
Eighth	0%

(2)

For unimproved/undeveloped properties:

Length (year)	Portion(percent)
First	100%
Second	100%
Third	75%
Fourth	75%
Fifth	50%
Sixth	50%
Seventh	25%
Eighth	0%

If an eligible property is granted a tax exemption pursuant to this article, the improvement shall not, during the exemption period, be considered as a factor in assessing other properties.

The exemption from taxes granted under this article shall be upon the property and shall not terminate upon the sale or exchange of the property.

§ 272-49 Procedure for obtaining exemption.

Any person desiring tax exemption under this article shall notify the Manager of the Borough, as well as the Business Manager of the Jersey Shore School District, in writing on a form provided to the applicant at the time he/she secures a building permit for the new construction or improvement. A copy of the exemption request shall be forwarded to the Lycoming County Assessment Office. The Lycoming County Assessor shall, upon notice by applicant and after completion of the new construction or improvement, assess separately the new construction or improvement and calculate the amount of the assessment eligible for tax exemption in accordance with the limits established by this article and shall notify the taxpayer, the Borough and the school district of the reassessment and the amount of the assessment eligible for the exemption. Appeals from the reassessment and the amount eligible for the exemption may be taken by the taxpayer or the local taxing authority as provided by law.

The cost of the new construction or improvements to be exempted and the schedule of taxes exempted existing at the time of initial request for tax exemption shall be applicable to that exemption request and subsequent amendment to this article, if any, shall not apply to the adoption of such amendment.

§ 272-50 Termination date.

An application for exemption may be made at any time within five years from the effective date of this article. All qualified applications under this article are eligible for the entire seven-year exemption schedule.

§ 272-51 Extension.

The Borough may, by ordinance enacted from time to time, extend the time for filing an application for exemption. However, in no event shall any one extension period exceed five years.

§ 272-52 Revocation of LERTA exemption.

The exemption from the real estate taxes provided for herein shall be forfeited by the taxpayer and/or any subsequent owner of the real estate for the failure to pay any nonexempt real estate taxes by the last day of the time period to pay such taxes in the penalty period. Upon receipt of the notice of nonpayment of nonexempt real estate taxes, the Borough shall discontinue the LERTA exemption.