Four owners of properties in the area were successful in their appeals to have the taxes on their properties reduced by action of the Schuylkill County Assessment Appeals Board which is now in session at the Schuylkill County courthouse. The board also granted exemptions to a church and fire company on properties recently purchased.

Carol Ferrier received the reduction on her property at 43 N. Crescent St., Tamaqua R.D. The market value was reduced from $35,130 to $20,280 and the assessment lowered from $17,565 to $10,190, a drop of the assessment by $7,375 for tax purposes.Candice Craig received the reduction on her property at 67 Water St., New Philadelphia. The market value was reduced from $27,410 to $16,640 and the assessment lowered from $17,705 to $8,320, a drop of $5,385 in the assessment.Phillip and Patricia Walsh, of Hazlet, N.Y., received a reduction on their property at 40 Great Oaks Drive, Lake Hauto Develoment in Rush Township. The market value was reduced from $464,600 to $426,820 and the assessment lowered from $232,300 to $213,410, a reduction of $18,890 in the assessment.Thomas and Rosemary Ann Peto, of Langhorne, on their property at 141 Second St., Coaldale, the market value was reduced from $34,120 to $18,300 and assessment lowered from $17,060 to $9,150, a drop of $7,910 in assessment, based on a recent purchased price of the property.Kamel F. Beshay, of 704 Claremont Ave., Tamaqua, on his property at 33 Fourth St., Kelayres, Kline Township, the appeals board ruled no change and the market value remains at $169,900 and assessment at $84,950.The property was formerly a church.Grant exemptionsMennonite Messianic Mession of Eastern Pennsylvania, on a the former school building of North Schuylkill School District, located along SR61 in Ashland, where religious services and a bible school are held, was granted an exmeption from the 2010 taxes because it is a place of religious services. It had a market valuie listed in the assessment bureau of $687,770 and was assessed at $343,805 for tax purposes.Columbia Hose Company, Saint Clair, on a garage purchased an exemption was granted as the garage is used to store hoses. Its market value was listed at $6,210 and assessment at $3,105 in the assessment bureau.Other appealsJoseph and Kathleen Bowers, 1764 Tanglewood Road, Orwigsburg, market value reduced from $205,170 to $153,920 and assessment lowered from $102,585 to $76,960, a drop of $25,625 in assessment.Steven J. and Robin K. Zimmerman, 309 S. Liberty St., Orwigsburg, market value reduced from $104,440 to $99,840 and assessment from $52,220 to $49,920, a reduction of $2,300 in assessment.Commonwealth Commerce, LL, Orwigsburg, on a mobile home the market value reduced from $55,110 to $24,960 and assessment lowered from $27,555 to $12,488, a drop of $15,075 in assessment.