Pennsylvania Tax: With tax revenue up, clerk job restored

29 May 2010 By R.A. WALKER  -- Mayor Gabriel J. Campana and City Treasurer Shirley Lord jointly announced what the mayor called "good financial news" Friday.

Mercantile and business privilege tax revenues are up and 270 "new adds" to be taxed have been identified.

According to Lord, the new additions represent both businesses and rental properties confirmed by the city's collection contractor as of May 25.

The Berwick office of CENTAX collects the two taxes for the city and, to date, this year has collected about $300,000 more in business privilege revenue compared to a year ago.

In addition, the added businesses have generated about $30,000 in additional revenue with seven months in the year to go.

A proactive approach is being taken to make sure landlords and business owners known they owe and must pay the taxes. City building official Joe Gerardi and his staff in the Codes Department provide copies of all building permits and zoning certificates of occupancy to the mayor, Lord and CENTAX to make sure any new businesses or rental properties are added to the list.

An offshoot of the additional revenue is the restoration of a clerk position in the Bureau of Police records department.

The position was cut to help the city trim expenses at the start of the year.

As a result of the cut, the entering of police reports into the computer system fell further and further behind as the year progressed, and the records department is now reported to be about three months behind.

Campana announced Friday he was restoring the clerk position and recalling of a laid off employee in the community development office.

The clerk in the records department was a veteran employee and member of the City Hall union. As a result she was able to move into the most recently filled similar position, which led to that Community Development layoff.