LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Kathryn Blepp has been living in her home on Scranton's south side for 35 years.
For her, the nearly 33% proposed tax hike in Lackawanna County could be an eviction notice.
"This increase, can't do it. I just can't, I know I can't. I just don't know where it's going to take me." Kathryn Blepp is 74 years old; for the past 12 years, she's been living alone in her home.
"He had bone cancer, and then he got pancreatic cancer and then leukemia and esophagus cancer all at once," said Blepp.
Her husband's passing left her future uncertain. COVID made things worse.
"It got to the point where I said to myself, would I be better off dead or alive? That's how bad it got at one point," said Blepp.
However, with help from the nonprofit NeighborWorks, Kathryn's future started to look a bit more certain again, "They put me on a budget, and I faithfully followed that, but now to have that increase compared to what I'm on right this minute, I don't know what's going to happen."
"When you're working with someone who's retired, they tend to have a low, modest income and are already struggling, and we've seen a 30% increase in people contacting us with trouble paying their taxes," said Pamela Anslinger, NeighborWorks.
"I've been in this house so long my kids were raised here; I just want to be able to live my last days and be okay," said Blepp.
There will still be public hearings to discuss the proposed increase and look for possible alternatives.
The first hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.