Lackawanna County begins countywide reassessment; tentative values take effect Jan. 1, 2026

Tyler Technologies representatives and the Lackawanna County Assessment Office explained the countywide reassessment process and timelines at a public outreach meeting, telling residents that tentative value notices will be mailed this summer and new assessed values will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

The reassessment, the presenters said, is intended to update a base year that the county has used since 1968 so assessed values reflect recent market activity and distribute the tax burden more equitably. Samantha Edwards, project manager for Tyler Technologies, told the audience that “property assessments are calculated using base year methodology” and that “all valuation tables will remain static until the next countywide reassessment occurs.”

Why it matters: Lackawanna County officials and Tyler said the reassessment will change assessed values across the county but will not increase total tax revenue in the reassessment year. Patrick Tobin, director of the Lackawanna County Assessment Office, explained the legal constraint: “By state law, total county wide tax revenues from Lackawanna County cannot be more in 2026 than they were in 2025.” Millage rates, he said, will be adjusted when the new assessed values are certified so taxing bodies remain revenue neutral for 2026.

Process and timeline: Tyler and county staff described a multi-step…