Photo by Joseph Bell
Charles Bloam, tax collector for St. Marys and president of the Elk County Tax Collectors Association addresses county commissioners regarding shortcomings with a new computer program.

By Joseph Bell
Record Editor, Republican Editor

With the tax collecting season in full force, tax collectors across the county have expressed their dissatisfaction with a new program that has reportedly done more harm than good.
Charles Bloam, tax collector for St. Marys and president of the Elk County Tax Collectors Association, recently spoke on behalf of the county's tax collectors regarding the negative issues.
"About a year ago, the county assessment office, and we assume with the blessing of the county commissioners, decided to investigate the changing of the computer programs and the vendor providing services to the county office," Bloam said. "This was done to save money, streamline the operation between the register/recorder's office, the assessment office and tax claims office."
According to Bloam, at a cost of a reported $175,000, RBA Professional Data Systems was chosen as the provider.
"It seems no one at the county level considered the effects that the change would have on the tax collectors," Bloam said. "As collectors, we were told the system would be a good fit for us and that it's being used by tax collectors all over the state, especially in Centre County.
"In June, a few of the collectors went to State College with the county staff to view the system."
While the tax collectors reportedly returned with positive feedback, concerns were raised as the system was deemed "not user-friendly" and "lacking the basic needs" of the tax collectors.
"From June of 2009 through mid-February of this year, we collectors raised issues about the system and we were continually told that the problems would be corrected and basic tax collecting features not in the system would be addressed, specifically end-of-the-year duties like printing of per capita reminders, 15-day notices, real estate reminders, all required duties of the collectors," Bloam said.
Two weeks before tax bills were sent, a Feb. 16 training session was reportedly held for tax collectors and, according to Bloam, for most, it was the first time local tax collectors were seeing the new program.
"During the training, many questions were asked of the RBA instructor and the county office," Bloam said. "Neither had very good understanding of what tax collectors do on a day-to-day basis.
"Old questions resurfaced and new questions concerning basic tax collection protocol were asked. There were few answers and problems still persist."
In retrospect, Bloam said he now finds the rush to a new program to be hasty.
"The rush to the new system has caused headaches for the people that we serve, the taxpayers of Elk County," Bloam said while indicating that taxes have proven to be a volatile issue. "Wrong information of bills raises the ire of taxpayers.
"We, as the front line people, bear the brunt of this storm and since we're the contact listed on the bills, taxpayers assume that we're responsible for the information."
While the tax collectors have no control over the billing process, many citizens have contacted their respective tax collectors regarding the shortcomings.
"We have done what we can do to help," Bloam said. "Sadly, some have told us that if an election were being held, they would not vote for us because of our ineptitude.
"To reiterate, we were not responsible for the problems that occurred in the billing and printing process."
In previous years, tax collectors have reportedly kept record of address changes, death records and used a reliable system to track name changes from marriages and divorces.
"We record if the taxpayer retires, if it's a student, a laborer, housewife, and the other categories listed on per capita bills," Bloam said. "We send this information to the county. During this conversion to the new system, the information was lost. People believe that we as their contact person ignored them last year.
"We did our jobs, we sent the changes to the county. Our phone numbers were left off the bills and many view this as an attempt by us, the collector, to avoid phone calls. The changes in the process have caused us a lot more work in an already big job that has continued to grow over the years."
The overall format and information on the taxpayers' bills also has changed.
"Copies to our office now come three to a sheet, for me personally, that meant me tearing apart 16,000 bills," Bloam said. "Bills were sent with no due taxes. City, county, state and other exempt lands were sent bills this year at a cost to the taxpayers of the county. Some bills that were sent do not match the names or the addresses in the database.
"All of these problems were caused by a system that was supposed to fix the system. It was supposed to make the job easier for us all. This may have helped departments for the county but it has been a nightmare for the collectors. As collectors, we want the taxpayers of the county to know that we didn't cause these problems and, as a group, we oppose the new RBA system in our offices if it was not tax collector friendly."
Looking back, Bloam said he feels tax collectors were allowed little input in choosing a new system.
"We would have liked to have input in a system that has had such an impact on us," Bloam said. "Our present systems met or exceeded our needs and the needs of the taxpayers. We were left out of a process that directly affected us and hurt the people that we were elected to serve. We deserve better. We hope that all these problems are corrected.
"We understand it was a new system, we're just a bit confused as to how we got to where we are at this point. The taxpayers need to know that we didn't have much input in this."
According to Elk County commissioner Daniel R. Freeburg, the tax collectors' inclusion in examining systems was welcomed.
"We made attempts to include the tax collectors in the initial looking at the system, and the meetings that I attended, there was positive feedback at that time," Freeburg said. "Obviously, there are some bugs that need to be worked out, maybe quite a few of them. We had another meeting with the provider (on Monday) to deal with some of these things that have been brought up.
"I guess that's the only argument I would say is that your accusation that we have not included you, it's really not true but certainly there are bugs to be worked out."
Gale Clark, tax collector for Ridgway Township, the largest township in the area, informed county officials that she was never notified.
"I was not invited to go see the new program, I was totally left out and I do have the largest township," Clark said. "I bring in the large tax dollars that the smaller townships don't."
Despite the issues, Elk County commissioner June H. Sorg said she hopes the problems can be addressed and corrected.
"We hope that you'll continue to work with us and try to get things ironed out because it's important to us that things work smoothly for everyone," Sorg said. "We spent all of Monday with RBA (officials) discussing these problems.
"We're working very hard to correct these things. We're willing and able to hopefully correct everything."
Fellow Elk County commissioner Ronald T. Beimel agreed with Sorg and confirmed that RBA Professional Data Systems officials have acknowledged problems.
"They're willing to work with the tax collectors who have any questions," Beimel said. "We definitely want to work with the tax collectors because they're a main part of what's going on in this county and bringing in the revenue for us.
"We realize the job that they have and also the taxpayers out there, they do vent it on you and we're thankful that you're in the front line. We're here to help (the tax collectors)."