Cheltenham SD officials discuss township plan to eliminate elected tax collector, consider software requirement

School finance staff told the Cheltenham School District Finance Committee on Jan. 7 that the district is prepared to operate under any of three tax-collection approaches the township is considering: keep the elected tax collector, have the township collect in-house, or outsource to a third-party vendor.

The discussion centered on how each option would affect the district’s operations and whether the district should adopt a resolution requiring tax-collection software and contract terms if the township changes its process. "At the end of the day, we're prepared to do whatever the township decides," Staff member Josh Sweigler said during the meeting.

Why it matters: about 80% of the property taxes collected in the township are remitted to the school district, committee members noted, so changes to who collects taxes could affect timing, reporting and administrative costs. The district currently receives weekly reports of collections during tax season and staff said continuity of personnel or a third-party collector should avoid service interruption.

Details discussed

- Three options: continue with an elected tax collector; have the township collect using township personnel; or have the township use a third‑party tax-collection service. Sweigler told the committee the district has worked well with the current tax collector and township staff and does not anticipate disruption if the township changes its approach.

- Compensation and contracts: committee members discussed a Feb. 15 deadline tied to election-year timing for any compensation resolution the district may pass. Sweigler said a district resolution could include a clause giving the district the right to require a particular tax software at the tax collector’s expense or require reporting formats as a condition of collecting for the district.

- Uniform software idea: finance managers across Montgomery County have discussed adopting a single tax-collection software to standardize reporting and training. Sweigler said unified software could help ensure consistent reporting of discount, penalty and lien information required by district accounting and the county.

- Third-party collectors and certification: Sweigler noted there are several vendors in the state that specialize in real-estate tax collection and that many third-party providers use certified processes and formal training.

What the committee will do next

Board leadership plans to meet with township commissioners to express district concerns and gather more information before the township votes again. Sweigler said the district will draft a possible resolution for the finance committee to consider that could include software and reporting requirements; no final vote occurred at the Jan. 7 meeting.

Public comment and stakeholders

Tax collector Mark Lieverson (who currently handles collections for the township) offered to present regular collection reports to the district and said he is willing to meet with the committee in the future to explain office processes. A speaker identifying themself as the township finance officer and former school board member requested the district ask for clear documentation of what the tax office does, and expressed willingness to present monthly or quarterly summaries.

Ending

Committee members emphasized that any district action should be coordinated with township leadership and that the goal is to avoid interruption in collections and reporting. The committee requested that staff circulate documents submitted by the tax office and prepare a draft resolution for a future finance meeting.