Whitehall Mayor says tax collector's complaints of obstruction 'unfounded.' She says 'it has to stop'

WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Whitehall Township's mayor and tax collector are accusing each other of retaliatory action against each other relating to difficulties keeping the tax office open.

Facebook posts made in late August by the tax office, which is run by elected township Tax Collector Tina J. Koren, stated that the office was closed for multiple days because of staffing issues.

Whitehall Township said in an Aug. 27 statement on Facebook that it couldn't publicly comment on personnel matters regarding employees.

But it said the township was addressing concerns related to the tax office and would continue to support township employees.

Koren did not see it that way, and hired lawyer Matthew Mobilio and released a statement Tuesday alleging "unprecedented obstruction" in her ability to perform her role's duties.

That, she said, included the current administration of mayor Joseph Marx, who was Koren's recent political opponent, blocking her access to the full town offices.

Also, rejecting requests to appoint additional tax collectors to alleviate the staffing issues.

"Since becoming the tax collector for Whitehall Township and running for Mayor, Ms. Tina Koren has been faced with unprecedented obstruction in performing the duties that Whitehall residents elected her to handle," Mobilio said in a release.

Koren said she believes it was retaliation as a result of her trying to institute changes to the office and personnel following investigations of nearly $78,000 of missing funds under the office's management before her election.

She also said the actions against her office relate to the township Board of Commissioners wanting to eliminate the elected office of tax collector and replace it with a professional finance director.

Voters rejected that idea in the May 2023 primary.

The statement concluded with Mobilio stating that his office is investigating a possible federal civil rights lawsuit, and other legal action on grounds of defamation, injunctive relief, and emotional distress claims.

Mayor: 'totally un-factual'

Mayor Joseph Marx said the information presented in Koren's statements were "unfounded" and "totally un-factual," and that he found it troubling they were released in such a way.

"The allegation being made that [the administration's actions] are political retribution, or whatever it may be, couldn't be farther from the truth," Marx said.

"I've treated Mrs. Koren with dignity and respect since the date today I became mayor of Whitehall Township. I co-operated fully with every request she made to me.

"So these allegations are unfounded."

He said Mobilio was "way out of line" with his statement.

"There was nothing disparaging toward the treasurer whatsoever," Marx said, related to a document posted on the township's Facebook page and website referenced in Mobilio's release as an attempt to publicly shame the tax collector.

"It was all based on our charter and the rules and regulations of Whitehill Township, and that's all there was to it."

The statement by the township government said the township administration and board of commissioners has "a key priority" of "ensuring that all money paid to the tax office is handled carefully."

It also said that only employees subject to specialized background checks "are permitted to accept payments at the payment windows."

'Trying to change the narrative'

Koren, who was elected tax collector in 2021 as a Democrat, ran as a Republican against Marx, the former commissioners president, in 2023, after Mayor Michael Harakal Jr. opted not to seek re-election.

The heated and close race ended in defeat for Koren in November 2023. Marx won, with 2,615 votes to Koren's 2,494 votes.

Koren said she has moved on from the election and that from her perspective, Marx's actions against her are retaliatory toward the tax office and her.

"He won the election fair and square," Koren said. "I've gone to him to try to help me out. I have emails you wouldn't believe asking for help, and they go unanswered."

Marx accused Koren of trying to deflect blame from dysfunction in the tax and treasury offices under her oversight onto the mayor's office.

"I don't know what her tactics are here," Marx said. "I don't know what she's trying to prove by making these false allegations.

"She's trying to change the narrative and I think the narrative is on her. I think the problem lies with her in the way she runs her office."

He said the treasurer's office staffing issues is a major inconvenience for residents and was a "very unfortunate situation."

'Point in my life that it has to stop'

Marx said that while the four personnel who work in that office are township employees under his tenure as mayor, union and labor regulations restricted what his office could do related to bringing on new staff or responding to Koren's requests.

He said his administration takes the law very seriously regarding personnel issues.

Regarding specific allegations made by Koren, Marx said her access to the full administrative suite at Whitehall Township was revoked because she violated the township's social media policy and disparaged the township and board of commissioners publicly.

He said that as a result of her actions, he can't trust her to not share proprietary or confidential information against the government's wishes.

Marx said her access to areas required for her work — her office, kitchen area, mailboxes and printers — is unencumbered.

Koren said that's not true, as she often works closely with other departments while evaluating and distributing revenue.

She said she can't do her job if she can't talk with others in the township offices.

"I'm the elected mayor, I don't have access to that office," Marx said. "I don't have anything to do with the controls — the auditing procedures, the way she runs that office.

"And I've never interfered whatsoever in that office — so these allegations are unfounded."

He said he doesn't take the accusations on his reputation lightly, but insists they are false allegations.

"I'm a township resident so I don't want to see the township sued," Koren said. "However, two and a half years of trying to fix a broken system and being slapped in the face...it comes a point in my life that it has to stop.

"It's not just me, it has been ongoing for many years that the administration and tax office were at odds."