Nn =] “ J 9) D 2) - > —- 2 3 + >, J - ~ ) 3 ) A 3 7d tip ad dey - Vol. 107 No. 29 j By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff BACK MOUNTAIN - Taxes and ‘death may be the only two sure ‘things in life, but Pennsylvania legislators are trying to help out at least on the tax end of the deal. Designed to give districts the option to shift the tax base [rom property to income, the School District Property Tax Reduction Act proposes to tax residents with higher incomes instead. If passed by the assembly, the legislation will allow school dis- The Back Mountain's tricts to cut real estate taxes and enact a two percent earned in- come tax, which the member municipalities would not receive a share of. Taxable income will not include pensions or interest on savings accounts. All Act 511 “nuisance taxes,” such as the per capita, occupa- tional privilege and real estate taxes, and in Lake-LLehman a me- chanical device tax, would also be eliminated. Before it could be implemented, the tax would have to be approved by voters in each school district in 4 42d =\\ ES N Dallas, Pennsylvania a referendum. The bill was approved by the state Senate December 13 and the House Finance Commillee May 2. Before Governor Ridge can sign it into law, the act must be ap- proved by the assembly during its fall session. Because the assem- bly amended it twice, it must then be sent back to the Senate [or another vote — and possibly more amendments — before Ridge can approve it. Another bill, Senate Bill 284, passed May 22, is a consltitu- tional amendment designed to accompany Senate Bill 2. Also known as the Homestead Exemp- tion, ‘the joint resolution allows local governments and school dis- tricts to deduct a portion of the real estate tax from a property's assessed value. SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS For example a property as- sessed at $10,000 with a $2,000 homestead exemption would be taxed on the remaining $8,000 of assessed value. The Homestead Exemption could be used to reduce the tax basis for home owners, since it can be applied only to owner- occupied property. According lo figures provided by Representative George Hasay, if Senate Bill 2 is passed, resi- dents of the Dallas school district could save an average of 78 per- July 17 thru July 23, 1996 Pending bills would shift school tax to income while Lake-Lehman residents could save 71 percent. “Savings [for individual homeowners may be higher or. lower than the average, depend- ing on their income and how much they presently pay in real estate taxes,” Hasay said. ill The average real estate tax bill in the Dallas school district, with a millage rate of 158, is $811. In Lake-LLehman's Luzerne County municipalities the average bill is $791. based on 213 mills, while in See SCHOOL TAX, pg 8 centof their school property taxes, Light fee New rules hike fees on late payers face liens By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff LEHMAN - Lake Silkworth resi- dents who haven't paid their 1995 light’ fund assessments should settle up with the township as soon as possible. ‘By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff KINGSTON TOWNSHIP - I{ will cost transient merchants more to do business in the township next year. With William Tippet casting the lone dissenting vote, the supervi- sors approved the first reading of two ordinances which raise mer- chants’ fees from $10 per year to Johnny because I'm opposed to that requirement,” Tippett said. “I don't object to the fee increase.” The supervisors also unani- mously voted to refuse to allow Luzerne County to use its munici- pal radio frequency when the new 911 emergency system is imple- mented next year. “We hold the federal permit for the frequency,” said township manager Jelf Box after the meet- temporary merchants 3 At their regular July 15 meet- $300 per month and allows them ing. “The supervisors feel our pub- | NF ing the supervisors unanimously to set up in the township for a lic works departments will need 0 on voted to file liens against the prop- maximum of 30 days. it” yi 1 | erties of anyone whose light fund Merchants set up in temporary The county had asked both | bills, which average between $10 structures and tents must either Kingston and Dallas townships | and $22 per year, are in arrears. tie into the public sewage dis- for permission to add their work | “Scine of these bills have been posal system or provide a por- frequencies to its radio (requency N past due for six or seven years," table lavatory, obtain a state high- inventory, he added. : ha said supervisor David Sutton. way occupancy permit if they're The “For Sale” sign will remain ; Residents living within 200 feet located along a state road and on the 1992 Chevrolet Caprice ] © ofastreet light pay 22¢ per foot of comply with all zoning regula- unmarked police cruiser for the 1 a) 3? road frontage for lots containing tions for setbacks and parking for near future. The township received 1 NIE “buildings and 12¢ per front foot the zone where they are set up. only one bid of $2,555, with no : ) for empty lots, according to trea- Farmers selling their own pro- bid bond, from Winners Motors in 3} vy surer Al Cragle. The lake's 40 duce are exempt [rom the $300 Long Island City, NY, and unani- | street lights cost the township fee. mously rejected it. re | $4,500 per year, he added. “I voted against the ordinance “We're asking for a minimum The supervisors told zoning of- requiring them to have a Job bid of $4,000," Box said. 1 ficer Charles Bartlett to revoke : | the permit for Lutheran Welfare : & Foundation's July 28 Hospice Hundred bicycle tour if ils orga- A Kids learn about, perform : nizers paint arrows and other N TH E B i D D I N G PHOTO BY DAVE KOZEMCHAK ] NN /® markings on the surface of town- ship roads. “For several years we Sue Jordan consulted on her portable phone during last weekend's 50th Back Mountain Memorial haven't allowed anyone to paint on our roads,” said Doug Ide. “We See LIGHT BILLS, pg. 8 Library Auction. She must have gotten the go-ahead, since she was one of the more spirited bidders at the event. Mary Chappell looked on. Full page of photos, page 6. William Penn's legacy lives in Back Mountain Shakespeare at Misericordia By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff DALLAS - “This green plot shall be a stage” and other lines [rom A Midsummer Night's Dream ech- guage they could understand, and performed it for their [riends. “In Shakespeare's time they didn’t have TV, cars or hair dry- ers,” Dr. Agnes Cordoni told the kids, who reacted with astonish- 3 1 oed across the lawn of College ment and disbelief. “The theater 7: .-. “= By JACK HILSHER anymore) these are Quakers none- Misericordia last weekend during didn’t have a roof, so if you wanted - + Post Correspondent theless. : the Theatre-on-the-Green's an- lo see the play and it rained;.you Perhaps, the guosi [misimdlers nual workshops and perfor- got wel.” ; 1} BACK MOUNTAIN - Qualters? stood sect in all Christiandom mances. They were fascinated by mod- Here, in the Back Mountain? Can't has a local administrator they Children from Mercy Services els of the Globe Theatre, built be. But 11's true andualihough, © Call them "Clery in Susan Meni il and Project REMAIN in Wilkes- several centuries agoon the shore they dress and talk like everyone of Shavertown. Susan says Barre attended a special of the Thames River in London, (they don't say “thee” or “thou” “Someone has 1 handle Paper “Shakespeare for Kids" session where Shakespeare's plays were work. 1 don't, really, sdminigier Friday, where they learned about first performed. : but 10 Leap Some Tecords: We The Bard, his life and works and One of the materials they look : ~ “L.ET | S also have a treasurer, an ashe saw a scene performed. home was a Shakespeare coloring 2 ~ ; on} clerkodn Boverly Wiliams Later theyalsolearned the same book containing a connect-the- ) and Ohe of Hs keeps Aserdphooks scene, rewritten by workshop stu- THEN TH Y that's about i : dents of Mrs. Jean Lipski in lan- See SHAKESPEARE, pg 8 : | No minister is mentioned be- ) ’ cause there isn't one. Quakers AT like unprogrammed and unstruc- tured worship, which are appeal- ing features to those tired of rigid ] Happy campers LOVE regulations and beliefs. They do ME oor Coach oor not believe a minister is neces- thor In Dallee 10 tude ~ sary to stand between one and The Quick family of Kunkle, Quakers for 20 years. Kathy and g | C CAN one’s God: Yoram ; tales from the road. Pg 3. i : | ennifer, front, Gwen and Herb in rear. \ Susan and her husband Sam, a math instructor at Wilkes, have been Quakers for 23 years. She says, “One popular misconcep- tion of us is that you are ‘born’ into Quakerism, like, say the Amish. That is wrong ... we have chosen to accept this way of life and Quaker beliefs, and so did at least two-thirds of our members. op called “Religious Society of Friends.” and so are national chap- lers. An Englishman, George Fox, founded the society in 1652 and although there are members worldwide the heaviest concen- {ration is in the U.S. In colonial America Quakers were found in B Two winners Back Mountain teams win Junior Baseball and Senior Softball champioships. Pg 9 14 Pages g Sections 1 © It isn't something we are because in God being within us, and we Rhode Island, North Carolina, Calendar..............0n 14 our parents were.” have never been sorry. Our {two Western New Jersey and espe- Classified............... 12-13 wouter: Baek “Mountain children alsojoined with us, which cially in Pennsylvania, where Wil- Crosaword. Lv as 14 Quaker is Herb Quick of Kunkle, ~~ WaS gratifying. liam Penn developed a Quaker Editorials 4 Quick, a retired professor of Quaker was originally a nick- colony which became a perma- 10 al fastdansdrngeariers The French and History at Wyoming name because people said they nent part of Philadelphia and left Obituanes...........c...... 12 Sisters Seminary, and his wife Gwen be- “quaked” with religious zeal. An- many rich traditions to this day. SCHOOL. LLL ni dee 11 Philadelphia came Quakers 20 years ago. Herb ~~ other name is also used just as One reason ’enn’s colony pros- pons. i ahi 9-10 This art from the cover of a piece of Quaker literature carries a 300- year-old quote from William Penn. says. “Il was a Presbyterian and Gwen was a Methodist, but we thought long and hard about what we wanted to do. We respected the Quaker commitment to peace and justice, we liked their firm beliel often, although it is not as well- known and that is “Friends,” which originated with the Biblical verse John 15:14-15: “You are my friends if you do what I command you...” Thus the local chapter is pered was because he practiced a Quaker principle and instead of warring with Indians like other colonies in the New World, he See QUAKERS, pg 3 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers