Berger v. Commonwealth (In re Berger)

600 B.R. 491
United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania·Decided March 29, 2019·No. Case No. 18-20778-GLT; Adv. No. 18-02130-GLT; Case No. 17-23757-GLT; Adv. No. 18-02163-GLT·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

GREGORY L. TADDONIO, UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

*494In mythological lore, the Greek hero Achilles thought himself to be invincible, impervious to the swords and arrows of his enemies. So too, is the mindset of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue ("Revenue") in the cases presently before the Court. Revenue requests dismissal of separate adversary proceedings brought by chapter 13 debtors seeking to reduce or eliminate Revenue's secured claims. Revenue believes itself to be cloaked with sovereign immunity of such magnitude that its tax liens are invulnerable to modification by the bankruptcy court. But just as Achilles fatefully discovered his mortality, the Court finds that Revenue's liens are similarly susceptible to a well-heeled attack in these proceedings. After careful consideration, and for the reasons set forth fully below, the Court will deny Revenue's motions to dismiss.

I. BACKGROUND

Two sets of chapter 13 debtors commenced adversary proceedings to determine the nature and extent of various liens asserted against their real property. Revenue is a defendant in both cases because it holds tax liens on the affected properties.1 Through separate motions, Revenue seeks dismissal of both adversary cases and each debtor has filed a response in opposition.2 As both cases present the question of whether sovereign immunity prohibits the debtors from removing unsecured or undersecured tax liens from their property, the Court will decide them simultaneously.

The debtors in the first case are Randy and Elleni Berger, owners of two parcels of real property in the Pittsburgh area. Their residence, located at 150 Millview Drive, has an alleged value of $ 390,000 and is encumbered by a first-priority mortgage securing a loan payoff of $ 488,805.3 A second property, located at 104-104½ Brilliant Avenue, is valued at $ 175,0004 but remains subject to a mortgage loan with a payoff exceeding $ 197,000.5

Revenue filed a proof of claim against the Bergers seeking $ 11,050.82 for unpaid personal income taxes, of which $ 10,824.43 is allegedly secured.6 Although they acknowledge Revenue's claim in their chapter 13 plan, the Bergers value the secured portion of the claim at $ 0, subject *495to a final judicial determination in a separate adversary proceeding.7 The Bergers subsequently commenced this adversary proceeding to determine the extent of Revenue's secured status on the real property.8 Claiming that any value in the properties is entirely subsumed by the obligations owed on the first-priority mortgages, the Bergers seek to "avoid" Revenue's liens at the completion of their chapter 13 plan through 11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(2).9

The second case involves debtors Charles and Sharon Yeomans. They filed a chapter 13 plan recognizing Revenue as the holder of secured claim in the amount of $ 0,10 notwithstanding Revenue's proof of claim asserting a secured claim in excess of $ 108,000.11 The Yeomans now seek a determination as to the extent to which Revenue's tax lien is secured against their residence at 18 Wynnecliffe Drive in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.12 The Yeomans believe the property is worth $ 112,000 and is encumbered by a mortgage lien in the amount of $ 40,715.02.13 With only $ 71,285 in residual value available for the remaining lienholders,14 the Yeomans seek a "cramdown" of Revenue's tax lien pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 506(a) and 1322(b)(2).15

Revenue filed motions to dismiss both adversary cases, contending that any attempt to remove or reduce the secured portions of Revenue's tax liens would be a violation of its Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity. The Court must determine whether the debtors' complaints are barred by Revenue's assertions.

II. JURISDICTION

This Court has authority to exercise jurisdiction over the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a), 1334, and the Order of Reference entered by the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on October 16, 1984. This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(K).

III. POSITIONS OF THE PARTIES

A. Revenue

Revenue seeks dismissal of the debtors' complaints under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), asserting that it enjoys sovereign immunity which bars the relief sought by the debtors.16

*496Revenue argues that it has not waived this immunity, and therefore the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to hear these proceedings pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1). For this proposition, Revenue claims that its filing of a proof of claim did not arise out of the same "transaction or occurrence" as the debtors' adversary complaints, so there could be no attendant waiver of immunity.17

Revenue also argues that its rights as a lienholder cannot be modified under 11 U.S.C. § 1322(b)(2) because § 1322 is not among the Code sections for which Congress has statutorily abrogated sovereign immunity in 11 U.S.C.

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Berger v. Commonwealth (In re Berger), 600 B.R. 491 (Pa. 2019).

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