REAL ESTATE TAXES
Historically, real estate taxes have been a primary revenue source for local governments (including school districts) in Pennsylvania. Approximately 50% of Middletown Area School District's annual budget is funded through the collection of real estate taxes.
Beginning in 2006, Middletown Area School District assumed responsibility for the collection of school taxes. At that time, the district partnered with Fulton Bank and used automated lockbox processing – similar to the systems used by utilities and credit card companies to efficiently collect payments - in order to reduce processing costs. Although the district believes automated lockbox processing is the most efficient and secure way to collect real estate taxes, use of the automated lockbox system has been underutilized. In 2018 the District changed lockbox providers from Fulton Bank to Mid Penn Bank, in an attempt to expand the use of automated lockbox processing and further lower collection costs.
The District includes a postage paid reply envelope with the July real estate tax bills to encourage the use of the automated lockbox system. This additional cost is less than the cost of manually collecting payments, preparing deposits and entering payment information into district records and allows the district to respond to reduced staffing and promote internal efficiency. Thank you for helping us reduce costs by mailing your payment.
PAYMENT INFORMATION FOR 2024-2025
Please make 2024-2025 real estate tax payments payable to "MIDDLETOWN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT". Tax bills will be considered paid when the proper amount is received in full by January 3, 2025. Partial payments are not accepted unless a taxpayer has enrolled in the installment payment option (see below). Taxpayers who pay their bill in full on or before September 30 are entitled to a 2% discount. After November 30, taxpayers who have not paid their bill in full and are not enrolled in the installment payment option are assessed a 10% penalty. Taxes are required to be considered delinquent after January 3, 2025, and will be turned over to the Dauphin County Tax Claim Bureau for collection.
PAYMENTS MADE BY MAIL
Mail the remittance (bottom) portion of the ORIGINAL tax notice, with your check, in the postage paid envelope to:
PO Box 61918
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9973
U.S. postmark will be considered the date paid. PLEASE NOTE that if a payment due date falls on a weekend, the due date will be extended to the next business day. If a receipt is desired, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and the receipt portion of the tax notice with your payment stub and check.
PAYMENTS MADE IN PERSON
Real estate tax payments may be made in person ONLY at the Mid Penn Bank branch office, located on Spring Garden Drive during normal business hours. The remittance (bottom) portion of the original tax notice will be required.
PAYMENTS MADE BY MORTGAGE COMPANIES
Tax bills are only mailed to property owners. Taxpayers who escrow their real estate tax payments should forward the real estate tax bill to their mortgage company to ensure timely payment.
INSTALLMENT PAYMENT OPTION
All property owners have the opportunity to make payment in three (3) equal installments on the face amount of tax. Payment of the 1st installment on or before the due date of August 15, will indicate enrollment in the District's Installment Payment Plan. Property owners cannot pay by installments if they fail to make the 1st installment payment by this deadline. Additional coupons will be mailed to property owners for payments due October 15, and December 15. If either the 2nd or 3rd installment is not paid by the due date, a penalty of 10% will be applied to that installment. No discounts apply to installment payments. Note: When a payment due date falls on a weekend, the due date will be extended to the next business day.
TAX BILL NAME AND/OR ADDRESS CHANGE INFORMATION
Name and address changes on tax bills can only be made by contacting the Dauphin County Tax Assessment Office at 717-780-6101.
INTERIM REAL ESTATE TAXES
An interim real estate tax bill is issued when assessed value is increased on a property. New construction or additions to an existing building trigger a reassessment by the Dauphin County Tax Assessment Office. As directed by the Dauphin County Tax Assessment Office, an interim tax bill will be issued in August for assessment changes to a property between January and June and in April for assessment changes to a property between July and December. Interim taxes will be levied only if the assessment is increased by $5,000 or more. Interim tax bills are not printed to allow for automated lockbox processing. Interim tax bill payments should be mailed to:
Middletown Area School District Administration Building
55 West Water Street
Middletown, PA 17057