A Philadelphia-area firm that specializes in finding business tax scofflaws pitched its services to City Council Monday.

eCollect Plus would likely be able to obtain about $100,000 in uncollected business taxes owed to Altoona by companies that do business here — which after the firm takes a 25% cut would result in a $75,000 windfall for the city, according to company representative Daryl Boich.

The firm focuses on “larger out-of-town businesses,” said Boich, who reached out to city Mayor Matt Pacifico some months ago.

“Once we discover you (the business that hasn’t paid its tax debt) and send you an audit letter, you’re kind of cooked,” Boich told council members.

Businesses thus confronted may offer “all different excuses,” but usually agree to settle their cases after a short phone conversation, according to Boich.

The company is not seeking to unseat the city’s tax collector, Berkheimer, Boich said.

“We work with Berkheimer,” he said. “We’re an extra set of eyes.”

There would be no cost to the city, as the company works by commission only, he said.

Road construction companies, business operations within nonprofits and law firms are among the kinds of firms that have become eCollect Plus targets, Boich said, when asked by Pacifico to provide examples.

Many of the businesses that fail to pay taxes “kind of know” they should be paying, but don’t press the issue hard enough to find out, Boich said.

But once they know for sure they have a tax debt, they typically capitulate — though sometimes court action is needed, he said.

The company has obtained significant amounts for municipalities, he said.

One year, it collected $600,000 owed to the city of Harrisburg, he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.