PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Property owners in Lower Merion are getting a holiday bonus as the first round of checks arrives from a settlement over school property taxes.
The checks are part of a settlement from a 2016 lawsuit filed by three residents, including attorney Arthur Wolk, accusing the Lower Merion School District of raising taxes by more than the law allows.
“This was the most — what I would call — insulting, abusive litigation by any party in any case I've ever had,” said Wolk.
The suit said the district doctored the numbers to forecast a deficit, while actually running a surplus. The two sides settled, with final approval of the settlement in October.
“After six years of what I would call brutal litigation, the case is settled,” said Wolk.
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As part of the $27 million settlement, the district is paying back $15 million split among people who owned a property in the district in 2016.
The district will also give rebates worth $4 million each year over the next three years.
Wolk said the argument was never over how the district spent money on education.
“The lawsuit was begun not because of a disagreement over the school curriculum or facilities or teacher salaries, or administrator’s salaries or the educational process for the children,” he said.
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“The lawsuit was for illegal taxation that so far exceeded the allowable school district budget.”
He adds he took no attorney fees, and will donate his check as a resident to a school in Philadelphia.
The district pointed to its statement from October, where it says it believes the settlement was in the best interest of the district and its students.