Taxpayers could pay more because Allegheny County cannot meet its Jan. 1 deadline for producing an official tax roll after a court-ordered, county-wide reassessment, according to municipal and school district solicitor Ira Weiss.

County officials have said they can't submit certified values of Allegheny County properties -- a duty that state law requires them to fulfill each year by Jan. 1 so cities, towns and other taxing bodies know the value of properties in their jurisdiction -- until April 2012, delaying the printing of tax bills. To make up for the loss of revenue, county officials told Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. on July 21 that they plan to take out a Tax Revenue Anticipation Note and that local governments should do the same if they usually send out tax bills before April.

"We believe this to be an irresponsible cavalier approach to the problem," Mr. Weiss said, in a letter he sent a week ago to fellow municipal and school district officials throughout Allegheny County.

The fees and interest charged to take out such loans, Mr. Weiss said, ultimately will cost taxpayers more. County officials had no comment today on Mr. Weiss's letter, or on the delay. They have said they can't afford to pay the number of employees required to produce a certified tax roll by Jan. 1.

First Published: August 13, 2011, 12:15 a.m.