Treasurer McCord Reunites Erie City School District with Over $20,000 in Unclaimed Property; Says More Awaits Other Schools, Districts Across PA
More than $650,000 waiting to be claimed by 473 schools or school districts
ERIE, PA – June 22, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord – seeking to reunite more than $650,000 in unclaimed property with the state’s K-12 schools – visited the Erie City School District today to return over $20,000 to administrators there, and he said the returned money should be used to help preserve educational opportunities in challenging economic times.
Treasurer McCord said, in total, 473 schools or school districts across the state are owed at least $250 in unclaimed property. More than a quarter of those entities are due between $1,000 and $10,000.
“Pennsylvania schools have an important mission – to educate tomorrow’s citizens and leaders,” Treasurer McCord said. “At a time when public education is receiving less funding, it’s important that schools get access to resources in ways that don’t raise taxes or debt, and Treasury’s unclaimed property program does that. We want to help schools – and Pennsylvanians generally – put money that is rightfully owed to them back in their budgets. This won’t entirely fill the gaps created by budget, but it will help.”
Treasurer McCord said the $20,125 being returned to the Erie City School District approximately equals the total amount 17 average homeowners in the district pay in property taxes each year.
The types of property waiting to be reunited with schools and school districts include unclaimed accounts payable, credit balances, refunds, bank accounts, and uncashed checks. Those owed unclaimed property often do not realize the property has become dormant because holders are not required by law to contact the owner before remitting the lost property to Treasury.
“Under Pennsylvania’s unclaimed property law, businesses, financial institutions, and other organizations are continuously turning over unclaimed property to Treasury,” Treasurer McCord said. “It’s a common misconception that only individuals have unclaimed property waiting for them. We actually have a great deal that is owed to schools, businesses, child care centers, fire departments and other nonprofit organizations. So regardless of who you are or what institutions you represent, you may gain simply by checking our free online database at patreasury.org to see if there’s property owed to you!”
The McCord Treasury has returned nearly $228 million in unclaimed property to rightful owners since January 2009. In fiscal year 2009-10 – the Treasurer’s first full fiscal year in office – the McCord Treasury increased unclaimed property collections by 25%, which helped to generate $115 million in revenue for the Commonwealth’s General Fund, or 62% more than the prior fiscal year.
Generally speaking, unclaimed property is any financial asset that has been left with a business or organization without activity or contact for at least one year, including: bank accounts, uncashed payroll checks, accounts payable or receivable checks, credit balances, expired gift cards, savings and checking accounts, escrow accounts, money orders, travelers checks, utility refunds, insurance proceeds, stocks and bonds, and the contents of safe deposit boxes.
Treasury is seeking the owners of $1.8 billion in unclaimed property. To search and claim unclaimed property, go to www.patreasury.org. Users may also call 1-800-222-2046 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email ">
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Below find a sampling of schools and school districts with unclaimed property grouped by media market. For more information or to discover if a school not listed has unclaimed property, please call (717) 787-2991.
Greater Philadelphia
Gloucester Public School District
Family Charter School
Avon Grove School District
William Penn Charter School
Coatesville Area School District
Bensalem School District
Marple Newtown School District
Charles Ellis School
Springfield Township School District
Germantown High School
Upper Dublin School District
Bryn Athyn Area School District
Pickett Middle School
Chester Upland School District
Methacton School District
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
Central Bucks Detwhiler School District
Milton Boverman School
Welsh Valley Middle School
Neshaminy High School
Northeast Pennsylvania
Lynn School District
Delaware Valley School District
Wallenpaupack School District
Lakeland School District
Pocono School of Excellence
Danville Area School District
Elimsport Elementary School
Central Pennsylvania
Greater Johnstown School District
Central Cambria School District
Glendale School District
Johnstown High School
South Hills Business School
Juniata Valley School District
Rockwood Area School District
Penn Valley Area School District
Fulton County School
Curwensville School District
Bedford High School
Austin Area School District
Punxsutawney Area School District
Lehigh Valley
Allentown Business School
Saucon Valley School District
Allentown Central Catholic High School
Marvine Elementary School
Eastern Area School District
Greater Pittsburgh
Elizabeth Forward School District
South Fayette Township School District
Allegheny Valley School District
Uniontown Area School District
Moon Township Area School
School District of Pittsburgh
Bethel Park School District
Mt Lebanon School District
D.E. Williams Middle School
Johnston Elementary School
Ringgold School District
Wilkensburg School District (misspelled in database as reported)
Shaler Area School District
Highlands School District
North Hills School District
Slippery Rock School District
Riverside High School
Penn Trafford School District
Hempfield Area School District
Big Beaver Falls School District
Northwest Pennsylvania
Cambridge High School
Warren Area Schools
Iroquois Jr./Sr. High School
North Clarion County School District
Madison County School District
Randolf East Mead School District
McKingley Elementary School
Susquehanna Valley
Lewisburg Area School District
Reading School District
Manheim Central School District
East Pennsboro School District
Dover Area School District
Panther Valley High School
William Valley School District
Pottsville Area School District
Kennard Dale High School
Big Spring School District
Solanco School District
Eastern York School District
Boyertown Area School District
Waynesboro School District
Littlestown Area School District
Tuscarora Area School District
Mechanicsburg Area School District
Contact:
Elizabeth Foose
717-787-2991
