Tuesday, December 21, 1999
Sales tax proposed with jail
Money to pay for operation
BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — Barring unforeseen budget cuts, the Butler County commissioners probably will increase the county sales tax by 0.25 percentage point in the first half of next year — to 5.75 percent — to pay for operation of the planned county jail.
“We'll be looking strongly at a sales tax,” Commissioner Courtney Combs said Monday.“I don't think a property tax will work.”
With the help of $10 million in state funding, the county will have enough revenue to build a $35 million, 400-bed jail at the former Deuscher foundry site on Hanover Street in Hamilton.
But the county doesn't have the $9 million estimated annual cost of operating the jail.
A 0.25 percent sales tax would generate about $6.5 million per year. If enacted next year, the county would be able to save money for operating the jail until it opened.
The county hopes jail construction will begin in the spring. The work would take about two years.
Mr. Combs said that by saving operating money before the jail opened, the commissioners might be able to reduce the sales tax after a few years.
Bigger portion sought
The sales tax in Butler County is 5.5 percent, of which 0.5 percent is the county's portion. Butler is one of a handful of Ohio counties with a county sales tax below 1 percent. The sales tax in Hamilton County is 6 percent.
The commissioners have told Tim Williams, county finance director, to study options for raising revenue for operating the new jail. County officials say the proposed 2000 budget is lean and has little room for cuts.
Mr. Williams unveiled Monday the proposed county general fund budget for next year. The $57.2 million budget for next year represents a 1.3 percent increase over the 1999 budget of $56.5 million.
“It will be difficult to maintain that 1.3 percent increase throughout the year,” Mr. Williams said. “We need to hold the line.”
The commissioners will approve the budget next Monday.They invited the public to suggest possible cuts in the budget during the next week.
Mr. Combs said a sales tax seems to be the fairest way to raise revenue for the jail. It's also the most practical.
Because a county sales tax increase of 1 percentage point or less does not require voter approval, the commissioners could enact the 0.25 percent hike without voter approval.
A property tax increase would require voter approval, and voters resoundingly defeated a proposed sales tax increase the commissioners placed on the November 1997 ballot.
Chamber backs tax
Mel Less, president of the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said he would support a 0.25 percent sales tax for a new jail.
“I don't think it would put our business people at a disadvantage,” he said. “I used to be fearful that people would not buy an automobile in Butler County if our sales tax got too high. But I don't think consumers would be influenced by a quarter of a point. There just seems to be too many other factors that come into play.”
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Sales tax proposed with jail
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