$800K In Property Owner Funds Returned In Bucks Co.:

BUCKS COUNTY, PA —Bucks County Treasurer Kris Ballerini has recovered $800,000 in property owner funds, returning $500,000 to their rightful owners and doling out the remaining $300,000 to towns and schools.

After a years-long investigation into funds she discovered after taking office in 2020, Ballerini untangled financial red tape to cut the funds loose.

“After first taking office, it came to my attention that two bank accounts holding over $600,000 hadn’t been properly attended to in more than 15 years,” Ballerini said. “The accounts were funds from tax sale distributions that prior department heads had not properly or timely escheated per Pennsylvania laws.”

Some of the money was tied up in litigation.

Ballerini hired a bankruptcy attorney to follow up on cases, identifying owners who were owed funds in 2013. Once identified and confirmed, these funds were distributed to their rightful recipients.

“I spent days in the warehouse during my first term trying to reconstruct, reconcile, and identify the parcels and amounts for tax sale distribution,” Ballerini said. “The initial deposit for $247,025.75 was made into an account on May 12, 2003. In the memo section of the check it says, ‘holding account’. A second account was opened on April 10, 2003, with ‘94-02 Tax Sale’ in the memo section.”

Ballerini and Alexander M. Glassman, Esquire of the firm Rudolph Clarke, LLC, jointly sought Court permission with the County Solicitor’s office to give the funds back to the taxpayers according to the Real Estate Tax Sale Law – Act 542 of 1947 – which states that funds are to be returned to the taxing authorities after three years.

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas approved. So, after publicizing the list for 60 days, $326,458.75 is being returned to the county, and each municipality and school district in Bucks.

The millage rate from 2021 was used to divide the amount equitably.

“In the Treasury, we’re aggressively protecting the financial interests of the citizens of Bucks County,” Ballerini said. “In addition to making sure all money is accounted for, we’re now utilizing the most up-to-date financial technology, combined with prudent cash management, thereby achieving maximum return on all county fund balances.”

Bucks County Towns/School Districts Getting Funds:

Bucks County Communities

• Bedminster Twp. —$820.97
• Bensalem Twp. —$2,243.98
• Bridgeton Twp. —$656.77
• Bristol Borough —$5,626.27
• Bristol Township —$2,624.91
• Chalfont Borough —$1,997.69
• Doylestown Borough —$2,007.54
• Doylestown Township —$1,691.19
• Dublin Borough —$2,326.08
• Durham Township —$656.77
• East Rockhill Township —$1,339.27
• Falls Township —$981.88
• Haycock Township —$656.77
• Hilltown Township —$957.80
• Hulmeville Borough —$1,587.21
• Ivyland Borough —$1,477.74
• Langhorne Borough —$1,991.81
• Langhorne Manor —$1,453.11
• Lower Makefield Twp. —$2,245.07
• Lower Southampton Twp. —$1,541.23
• Middletown Township —$1,923.25
• Milford Township —$218.92
• Morrisville Borough —$5,965.70
• New Britain Borough —$1,587.21
• New Hope Borough —1,507.30
• Newtown Borough —$1,888.73
• Newtown Township —$1,107.21
• Northampton Twp. —$2,365.60
• Penndel Borough —$2,714.67
• Perkasie Borough —$1,012.53
• Plumstead Township —$1,635.37
• Quakertown Borough —$177.88
• Richland Township —$1,236.93
• Richlandtown Borough —$547.31
• Riegelsville Borough —$1,696.67
• Sellersville Borough —$2,995.49
• Silverdale Borough —$1,423.01
• Solebury Township —$2,715.78
• Springfield Township —$1,860.86
• Telford Borough —$781.56
• Tinicum Township —$930.43
• Trumbauersville Boro —$273.66
• Tullytown Borough —$1,477.74
• Upper Makefield Twp. —$706.03
• Upper Southampton Twp. —$2,942.35
• Warminster Township —$2,633.67
• Warrington Township —$1,928.73
• Warwick Township —$1,669.30
• West Rockhill Twp. —$793.60
• Wrightstown Twp. —$1,010.34
• Yardley Borough —$3,291.53

Bucks County Schools

• Bensalem —$18,373.24
• Bristol Borough —$16,857.21
• Bristol Township —$24,097.06
• Centennial —$17,465.25
• Central Bucks —$14,378.98
• Council Rock — $15,013.50
• Morrisville Borough —$26,891.41
• Neshaminy —$18,743.25
• New Hope-Solebury —$12,196.16
• Palisades —$17,888.11
• Pennridge —$14,805.39
• Pennsbury —$20,391.08
• Quakertown —$18,850.52