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Commissioners clash over property reassessment, budget shortfall and delay filling third seat
Summary
Commissioners Chris Chermack and Bill Gahan exchanged competing views on the countywide property reassessment by Tyler Technologies, the county budget shortfall and a seven-month delay to replace the former commissioner; Gahan defended the reassessment timetable and warned that pausing it could reinstate litigation and create "chaos."
A lengthy exchange at the Sept. 17 Lackawanna County commissioners meeting focused on the county's property reassessment, a disputed seven-month delay in filling a vacant commission seat, and concerns about a looming budget shortfall.
Commissioner Chris Chermack criticized the reassessment process conducted by Tyler Technologies, saying valuations contained widespread errors and called for extending formal appeals by six months. Chermack said staff and hearing officers were reporting mistakes in hearings and raised examples of apparent valuation anomalies, including his contention that an appraisal for the Steamtown Mall was far lower than the assessor's newly reported assessment. Chermack said the reassessment could "devastate seniors and those on fixed incomes" and asked for safeguards, additional outreach, tax caps and protections for vulnerable residents. He also said he did not vote for the Tyler Technologies contract.
Commissioner Bill Gahan sharply rebutted Chermack's characterization, saying about 96 percent of property owners have not appealed and that only roughly 4,700 appeals have been filed to date out of more than 102,000 parcels. Gahan said a court order requires completion of reassessment by Jan. 1, 2026, and that pausing the process would likely reinstate the earlier lawsuit that prompted the reassessment and would cost the county to defend itself in court. Gahan said the reassessment corrects inequities dating to the county's last comprehensive reassessment in 1968 and urged residents to use the informal- and formal-appeal opportunities that are part of the process. He said appeals can proceed to the Court of Common Pleas if residents remain dissatisfied.
The dispute over filling the county's third commission seat also surfaced. Gahan described the delay since February 2025 in replacing former commissioner Matt McGloin as a result of ongoing court challenges to the selection process and said he supports resolving the vacancy quickly, either by upholding a judicial appointment or backing the special election scheduled for Nov. 4 to restore a full board. Chermack said the election board lacked authority to call a special election and that he would defer to judges' decisions on the matter.
Both commissioners discussed the county budget. Chermack said he leads a bipartisan budget study group and pledged to present a balanced budget by December that avoids further tax increases, while Gahan criticized Chermack's earlier alternative budget as unrealistic and defended the need for candid fiscal projections. Gahan said he has uncovered significant fiscal mismanagement since taking office and that difficult choices are necessary to close a multimillion-dollar gap.
Why it matters
The reassessment affects every property owner in the county, municipal and school district revenue allocations and the timing of local tax notices. The dispute between commissioners signals ongoing policy choices about whether to pause or proceed with implementation, outreach and appeal timelines. The delay in appointing or electing a third commissioner affects the board's quorum and its ability to finalize certain decisions.
Ending
No formal change to reassessment timelines was made at the Sept. 17 meeting. Commissioners debated next steps publicly and urged residents who disagree with new valuations to use the informal- and formal-appeal processes now underway.
