UNION TWP. — Until further notice, township residents must mail their school real estate taxes to the Northwest Area School District.
District officials implemented the change Thursday after discovering elected tax collector Leona Belles was not accepting payments.
Belles stopped collecting taxes due to an illness but has not resigned from the elected post, according to the township.
Several concerned property owners contacted school and government offices because the discount period for school real estate taxes ends Sept. 30. Property owners save 2 percent if they pay before that date.
The district issued a notice informing township property owners to send their school real estate, per capita and occupational taxes to the school district, in care of the Union Township tax collector, at 243 Thorne Hill Road in Shickshinny. The zip code is 18655.
Checks should be payable to the Union Township Tax Collector.
Payments must be mailed to verify they were postmarked by the Sept. 30 deadline, the district said.
The township has about 1,300 property owners, county records show.
Township representatives are reviewing the matter and will update the public on any changes involving the payment of municipal and Luzerne County taxes, which also are collected by Belles.
All 2016 taxes — school, county and local — are due Dec. 31.