Math miscalculation in Pittsburgh-area city means thousands of taxpayers are owed money
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) — A math miscalculation in McKeesport means some 6,500 taxpaying homeowners are owed money.
It all stems from the Homestead Tax Exclusion, which is intended to give homeowners a tax break. KDKA-TV's Meghan Schiller talked to residents about the checks that are not yet in the mail.
"We should be paid back what we were shorted because we pay our taxes on time," McKeesport resident Cathy Milton said.
"Terrible. We've been thinking about that a minute ago, talking about how the taxes around here and how they estimate these houses," McKeesport resident Martha Mallory said.
Sources told KDKA-TV News that the school board first learned of the mistake on June 29. The business manager has since resigned, and no checks are in the mail. Longtime school board member David Donato calls it embarrassing.
"You don't even hear of this mistake. You'll never hear of another school district having this mistake," said Donato.
KDKA-TV has learned the mistake was a miscalculation over how much to reduce the assessed home values in McKeesport under the Homestead Exclusion Act.
We're told McKeesport's business manager at the time used a $17,000 reduction for the 2022 tax bills, but the correct reduction amount is closer to $22,000. Since everyone already paid those tax bills and was shorted, they now need refund checks estimated at around $120.
"Times are hard, so we need everything that's coming to us. We deserve it," said Robert Milton, McKeesport resident.
"It doesn't sit easy," McKeesport resident Gil Jackson said. "They're on fixed incomes, so every little bit counts. They deserve their money."
A social media post from the school board says the plan is to process the refunds through the district's tax office, but a post on the school district's website says the tax office is now closed, pointing everyone to Keystone Collections Group.
The business manager who would be the one to cut the checks resigned and the job is now posted.
The school board could look a lot different come December, Donato said, because four seats are up for reelection.
"Consequently, we would hope that in the remaining time, in October that this current board will address the issue as quickly as they can," Donato said.
