ALLENTOWN, Pa. — City residents can use an online map to see how much their property taxes could climb next year if council approves the mayor’s 2026 budget as proposed.
Mayor Matt Tuerk is asking city lawmakers to sign off on a real-estate tax increase of 3.96%. It would be the first time the city has raised its tax rate since 2019 if they do.
Allentown is offering a Property Tax Lookup Tool that does the math for residents eyeing their potential 2026 taxes.Allentown Property Tax Lookup Tool
Allentown is offering a Property Tax Lookup Tool on its website that does the math for residents eyeing their potential 2026 taxes. It shows their 2026 annual taxes and the monthly increase they’d face.
A West Side homeowner on Liberty Street who paid just under $2,000 in real-estate taxes last year would see their annual bill climb $78, according to the tool.
A homeowner on the same street about three miles east that paid $370 last year would see an increase of about $15, the tool shows.
And City Center, Allentown’s most prominent developer, would see taxes on their Two City Center facility climb by about $8,200 to $215,000 next year.
Council members are weighing Tuerk’s 2026 budget proposal at committee meetings. The full body is required to pass a budget by Dec. 31.
Trash rates to jump?
No matter how the mayor’s budget proposal fares with council, residents should expect to again pay more for garbage collection next year.
Allentown officials in 2024 inked a deal with J.P. Mascaro & Sons after the city’s nine-year relationship with Waste Management expired.
Residents' trash fees could hit $745 in 2026, with Tuerk proposing a $140 increase in his budget. That represents an almost 80% spike in just two years.
That contract saw property owners’ trash fees jump from $415 to $605 this year.
That fee could hit $745 in 2026, with Tuerk proposing a $140 increase in his budget. That represents an almost 80% spike in just two years.
The waste-hauling company faced criticism this summer after starting work in Allentown. Residents posted numerous trash-related complaints as crews missed hundreds of collections during their first week serving the city.
Council approved a five-year, $90 million contract with J.P. Mascaro & Sons. The deal can be extended up to four more years for an additional $90 million.
Allentown pays $2.30 to $3 each time the company’s trucks stop to pick up trash, President Pat Mascaro said in October 2024.
