Clearfield County residents press commissioners over assessment-ratio change and 1-mill increase; board approves routine measures

Clearfield County commissioners defended a change in the county's property-assessment ratio and a separate 1-mill tax increase for 2025 during public comment at a county meeting where residents urged the board to reverse the actions.

The board said it changed the county's predetermined assessed-value ratio from 25% to 50% while reducing the millage rate by 50%, a combination officials said left the immediate tax owed by county property owners unchanged. Commissioners also voted earlier to enact a 1-mill tax increase for 2025, a separate decision the board said was taken publicly and is available in its recorded meeting videos.

Why it matters: Residents told the commissioners that the change in the assessment ratio — even with the millage reduction — creates a structural capacity for future millage increases that could raise property-tax bills significantly. Several public commenters cited county fund balances and budget priorities as reasons the board should reconsider the tax action.

"We would like you to reverse your decision and put the percentage back to 25% because that's what the people wanted last year," said Morris of Morris Township during the public-comment period.

Former county commissioner Tony Yankovich disputed the need for a millage increase and cited county account balances he said were available from records he requested. "At the end of 2024, the county was sitting on about $6,400,000 in the general fund and $6,400,000 in the operating reserve fund," Yankovich said. He also said the county held more than $1 million in several restricted accounts, including 9-1-1 and children-and-youth funds.

John Delantonio, another speaker, urged the commissioners to ask department heads to trim budgets rather than raise taxes. "Take last year's budget, cut it by 5%, hand it back to them and say, make do with it," Delantonio said.

Commissioners said the change to the assessment ratio was intended to give future boards and municipalities more leeway because many municipalities in Pennsylvania are at or near a 25-mill cap established by state law. The board noted that most Pennsylvania counties use a 50% assessment ratio and said the net effect of the change and the simultaneous millage reduction produced no immediate change to property owners' tax bills.

Residents asked how the change would affect other taxing bodies. A county official responding at the meeting said the reduction in millage was intended to offset the higher assessment ratio and that each taxing entity (township, school district, etc.) would reflect the new ratio in their own calculations. When asked whether those bodies could later raise their millage, the official replied that each taxing entity sets its own millage and the effect would be reflected by those separate taxing bodies.

Other business: The commissioners approved routine financial and personnel items and heard several short announcements and presentations.

- Comptroller Edwards presented bills for payment totaling $1,039,280.54 across multiple funds (general fund $818,075.20; liquid fuels $40,087.90; 9-1-1 roughly $10,535; CDBG about $40,499.30; domestic relations $4,020.86; children and youth $126,062.22). The board approved payment.

- The board approved personnel changes, including two new corrections officers (one effective Jan. 23, 2025) and a part-time DC 2 hire effective Jan. 27, 2025; separations included a director of elections effective Jan. 17, 2025, and a children-and-youth caseworker effective Feb. 3, 2025.

- The commissioners proclaimed Feb. 7–14, 2025, as National Marriage Week in Clearfield County and voted to adopt the proclamation.

- The board moved to allow PennDOT to advertise and select a bridge-inspection consultant on the county's behalf (county contracts for bridge inspections rotate with PennDOT about every six years); the motion passed.

- Officials announced a proposed relocation of the Treasure Lake polling location from Treasure Lake Church to Lakeview Lodge for accessibility reasons; county staff said the change will be acted on by the county Board of Elections.

- Representatives from Children's Aid Society's Together Project described free relationship-education classes for couples the group offers by grant funding. Separately, a coalition of local nonprofits called SPARK (Clearfield–Jefferson area) told the commissioners that Sinclair had opted not to continue as the administrative agent for certain county funds and that Lincoln Social Services (the group presenting at the meeting) plans to seek formal execution of an updated administrative agreement; the county said that would require legal review and a future agenda item.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes from the Jan. 14, 2025 meeting — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (tally: not specified).

- Approval of bills presented (total $1,039,280.54 across funds) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (tally: not specified).

- Approval of personnel changes (multiple hires and separations; effective dates noted at the meeting) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (tally: not specified).

- Proclamation: National Marriage Week (Feb. 7–14, 2025) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (tally: Aye).

- Motion to authorize PennDOT to advertise/select a bridge-inspection consultant on the county's behalf — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (tally: Aye).

- Motion to adjourn at 11:00 a.m. — outcome: approved (tally: Aye).

What commissioners said and next steps: County officials emphasized that the assessment-ratio change and millage adjustment were publicly considered and recorded and that the board's intent was to provide future flexibility to municipalities constrained by the 25-mill state cap. Commissioners and county staff said materials and recordings of the votes are available on the county's livestreamed meeting archive.

Public-comment speakers who requested further action urged the commissioners to rescind the 1-mill increase and to provide greater budget transparency, including clearer reporting on year-end fund balances and how carryover funds are used in preparing new budgets. The county did not adopt a reversal or place the tax decisions on the floor for reconsideration during the meeting.