A Tamaqua apartment building that provides housing for people with low incomes will likely pay a smaller property tax bill.

Schuylkill commissioners on Wednesday approved an assessment appeal by East Broad Associates that reduced the fair market value of the building, at 420 E. Broad St., to $304,000.The change, from $1,140,073, would be retroactive to Jan. 1. It still needs a judge's approval to go forward.Now, the assessed value of the building (the taxable amount) is $570,035. That means the owners currently pay the Tamaqua Area School District $19,557 in property tax, the borough $10,044, and the county $7,787.According to published reports, in February 2010, the nonprofit Tamaqua Community Partnership sold the building to 420 East Broad Associates in Allentown for $64,500.In other business Wednesday, commissioners approved a lease with MBC Grings Hill, Schuylkill Haven, for office space at 200 E. Arch St., Pottsville.The office will house District Judge James K. Reiley, who now is on Centre Street in Pottsville.The county will pay $2,250 a month under the five-year lease, less than the rent on the current office space.