Burkheimer presents plan to collect Whitehall business privilege tax; board and residents press for details

Jim Hunt, director of governmental relations for Burkheimer, told the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on June 10 that his firm would assume administration of the township's business privilege and mercantile taxes beginning tax year 2025 if contracted.

Hunt outlined a workflow in which Burkheimer would import the township’s current business tax rolls, compare them against county earned‑income tax registrations to identify unregistered or nonfiling businesses, and mail initial returns and notices. He said the firm’s standard commission fee is 2.25 percent of collections, with a contract clause allowing a 5 percent annual adjustment to that commission as an inflation safeguard, and that the company typically does not apply that adjustment.

Commissioners and residents raised multiple questions about how the company would find delinquent payers, what businesses would be charged additional service or collection fees, the scope of attorney involvement for disputes, and whether switching administrators would lock the township out of its own data. Hunt said Burkheimer would cross‑reference earned‑income tax rolls under Act 32 to identify businesses operating and withholding in the county, and that the firm would send failure‑to‑file notices and, if necessary, pursue civil complaints to recover delinquent taxes.

The board pressed for concrete revenue‑uplift figures; Hunt said he did not have municipality‑level statistics on hand but offered to provide comparative performance data after the meeting. Commissioners also sought details on how Burkheimer handles complex ownership structures, internet sales and “nexus” disputes; Hunt said larger corporations may be required to supply audited financial statements for location‑level sales, and that litigation has been pursued in a limited number of cases when necessary.

On customer service, Hunt said Burkheimer operates a customer‑care center with dedicated phone lines and a two‑business‑day email response standard for business privilege tax inquiries, and that the firm currently administers similar taxes for more than 200 Pennsylvania municipalities. He said the standard contract term is three years with renewal options and a 90‑day termination window prior to renewal.

President Sliker and multiple commissioners emphasized that any contract decision should preserve the township’s ability to maintain accurate business‑license data, avoid undue burdens on small business owners, and include measurable reporting to show the contract’s fiscal benefit. No final action was taken at the meeting; the presentation concluded with the board and staff continuing review of the proposal and documentary contract terms.

The Burkheimer presentation and the lengthy public Q&A reflected concerns common to municipal outsourcing decisions: fee structure and escalation, data access and database integrity, audit and enforcement authority, customer service responsiveness, and measurable return on investment.