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County Awaiting Reassessment Ruling

SCRANTON — Lackawanna County leaders are still waiting to hear if a court ruling will allow a ballot question on Election Day Tuesday. The ballots for Tue...

SCRANTON -- Lackawanna County leaders are still waiting to hear if a court ruling will allow a ballot question on Election Day Tuesday.

The ballots for Tuesday's election have been sent out from the Lackawanna County Voter Registration Office. One of the questions on the ballot is whether the county should go up to $13 million in debt to go through reassessment.

However, a panel of judges declared the question null and void last week, saying the question is not clear enough.

The county appealed the ruling to the Commonwealth Court which has not ruled yet if the reassessment question is valid.

That ruling was expected by the end of the day Monday, but according to lawyers for the county, it could come sometime Tuesday while voters are casting their ballots.

County leaders want voters to weigh in on Election Day on reassessment no matter what happens to the ballot question.

"We went through this all summer long. I think people have a right to their vote and vote yes or no. It's going to be on the ballot. Whether we count it as a valid vote, that's the judge's decision. We would like to know where the county stands on reassessment," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Laureen Cummings, (R) Lackawanna County.

"I was hoping we'd have an opinion by now. It might come in the middle of the night. We urge everyone to please no matter what, go out and vote. We still would like to know what your thoughts and feelings are on reassessment," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Pat O'Malley, (D) Lackawanna County.

Even if Commonwealth Court decides the question is OK, the vote is not binding, meaning it will still be up to commissioners to decide whether to go through with reassessment.

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