Tax-sale properties listed

By SANDRA K. REABUCK

EBENSBURG — Millions of dollars are due in delinquent taxes to Cambria County, local municipalities and school boards, the head of the county Tax Claim Bureau said Monday.

The county’s annual list of delinquent tax properties has 1,300 parcels again this year, Sam Runzo, director of the Tax Claim Bureau said. The bureau is responsible for collecting unpaid taxes.

The list is published in the legal advertisements of today’s Tribune-Democrat.

Although the properties are slated to go on the auction block Sept. 14, only about 300 properties actually will end up in the sale. Property owners having until that date to either pay off the taxes due or get onto a payment plan, Runzo said.

As of Friday, the bureau had collected approximately $1.5 million as a result of notices sent out earlier advising of the upcoming advertisement, he said.

“We expect to collect an additional $2 million before the sale,” Runzo said.

He warned prospective buyers to check out properties before bidding on them at the Sept. 14 sale.

“It’s a ‘buyer beware’ sale because we do not give clear deeds. The buyer becomes responsible for any liens, judgments or mortgages on the property, so we advise interested buyers to check on whether anything is outstanding against the property,” Runzo said.

The amounts listed as delinquent include – as required by law – the taxes due for 2009, Runzo said. Delinquent taxes from 2007 are the ones triggering the sale, although some could date earlier if the properties had been held off the auction block for payment plans.

However, those properties are placed back on the list when the owners do not complete the payment, he explained.

The top amount listed on this year’s list is $250,577 on the Planet Ice property in Richland Township owned by Roustan Johnstown.

Runzo said that Roustan had been on a payment plan for 2006 taxes, and had paid $32,000 of the $72,000 due. In addition, the company owes approximately $73,800 for 2007; $71,600 for 2008 and $71,493 for 2009. The older amounts are higher because of interest fees being charged, he said.

Scott Branovan, a company spokesman, declined to comment.

The Planet Ice property has been listed through Gary Green of Century 21 All Services of Richland Township, apparently for sale.

Second on the delinquent list is Speciality Lifecare Realty, the owner of the former White Star at Napleon Place, a personal care home in Johnstown. A total of $143,107 is owed.

The facility was shut by the state in April after a series of deficiencies were found there dating back to 2007, the state Department of Welfare said.

Coming in third with $136,533 due is the former Miners Hospital property in Northern Cambria Borough, owned by the Northern Cambria Community Development Corp.

The deteriorating hospital had been demolished by the agency with state grants a few years ago, but efforts by Norcam to build housing for the elderly have been stymied since the Northern Cambria school board has refused since 2007 to forgive the back school taxes.

“We can’t afford to pay the back taxes and can’t use state grants to do that. It’s a shame because the community needs housing for the elderly,” Matthew Barczak, project director, said.



Parcels with the most owed



Here is a list of the 10 properties with the highest amount of delinquent taxes due to Cambria County:



• Roustan Johnstown, a limited liability corporation (LLC), on Planet Ice property, 195 Jari Drive, Richland Township, $250,577.

• Speciality Lifecare Realty Corp., former White Star personal care home, 429 Napoleon St., Johnstown’s 5th Ward, $143,107.

• Northern Cambria Community Development Corp., former Miners Hospital property on Crawford Avenue in Northern Cambria Borough, $136,533.

• Dennis Kaszycki, former Highway Hardware Store property, 2025 Bedford St., Stonycreek Township, $50,502.

• Gerbarco LLC, townhouses, 2600 block of Bedford Street,

Geistown Borough, $41,443.

• Family Furniture, Inc., commercial property, 1336 N. Center St., Cambria Township, $39,807.

• Commonwealth Mineral Development, commercial building,

351 Budfield St., Richland Township, $36,645.

• Burley Rink Supply, former Skone Advance property, Adams Street, Johnstown 9th Ward, $29,959.

• Lori Tunstall, house in 100 block of Chandler Avenue that was held out of prior sales because in bankruptcy for several years,

Johnstown, 19th Ward, $34,787.

• Gerbarco, apartment building, 414 Southmont Blvd., Southmont Borough, $26,346.



Note: Amounts being advertised as delinquent include, as required by state law, taxes due for 2009.

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