Thursday, May 13, 1999
Insurer sues to get tax breaks
BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — In a lawsuit against Butler County and the city of Hamilton, the Ohio Casualty Group is asking for $250,000 in damages and a reimbursement of taxes it paid on $6.6 million in improvements at its headquarters between 1994 and 1998.
The suit, filed May 3, stems from an enterprise zone agreement that Ohio Casualty and Hamilton signed in 1988. The agreement required the company to make at least $3.3 million in improvements at its North Street headquarters in exchange for a 10-year, 50 percent tax break on the improvements.
Ohio Casualty actually made $6.6 million in improvements.
In January 1998, the Ohio Department of Taxation ordered the county to reimburse the company for all taxes, penalties and interest paid from 1994 to 1998 on tax-exempt improvements, the suit says.
But later that year, the Butler County auditor's office ruled that Ohio Casualty was entitled to no reimbursement because the improvements added no value to the property, the lawsuit says.
Ohio Casualty accuses Hamilton of violating the enterprise zone agreement and calls the ruling of the county auditor's office “unreasonable.”
City Law Director Mark Brandenberger said Ohio Casualty should have appealed its appraised value years ago.
The lawsuit names as defendants Butler County Auditor Kay Rogers, Treasurer Mary Law and the city.
Flynt, county proclaim 'total victory'
ENQUIRER EDITORIAL: Flynt loses; Cincinnati wins
Flynt: 'I haven't changed my position one bit'
Video porn fans will get over it
Videos still readily available
Councilman fights store relocation costs
Fountain fix-up to take fast track
Ugly fence just another sleazy threat
I-275 repaving project grows
Star Wars fans can't wait for Wednesday
Ticket buyers bond in 'Star Wars' line
Fernald getting rid of uranium wastes
Laptops give police more time for patrolling
Patton clarifies casinos stance
Tristate ready for Kosovars
Warren, Butler are invited to Olympics
XU arena plan upsets neighbors
Angels, in another light
Lebanon B&Bs to show off charm
Opera's about life in OTR
GET TO IT
Alexandria moving on sewer plan
Ashland honors 2 N.Ky. teachers
Captain waives appearance after arrest
Cold Spring chooses chief; Florence in its search process
Council concedes racial bias in sewer district
Ex-hospital CEO to lead care agency
Fairfield Schools to add teachers, expand alternative program
Fingers pointed over school levy failure
Griffin's successor likely to be named today
Insurer sues to get tax breaks
Newport's bell in New Orleans
Race car's message: No drugs
Railroad crossing deaths decrease
Reporter not off hook yet
Science teacher to aid NASA
Teacher won't be charged over nude photos
TRISTATE DIGEST
Trustee questions airport benefits
Warren Co. to kill firms' tax breaks
Water Works' good deed confuses some
Kenton GOP finds governing tough
