HAMILTON — Today, the B Street Mill is to resume doing what it has done best for 107 years: make paper. And its new owner is courting City Council for tax breaks and other incentives to help the plant continue.

        Smart Papers has asked for a 10-year, 100 percent reduction on real and tangible personal property tax — a request City Manager Steve Sorrell is recommending that council approve. In a memo to council, Mr. Sorrell says Smart Papers meets state law requirements for such a tax break.

        The matter is set for discussion at tonight's council meeting, which Councilman Richard Holzberger predicts will be packed with about 200 current and former workers of the mill.

        Its new owner, Smart Papers LLC, idled the plant Friday after purchasing it from International Paper Co. for an undisclosed sum. Then, in a series of weekend meetings, Smart Papers informed employees whether they would be rehired. The plant was formerly owned by Champion International Corp.

        Smart Papers says it offered jobs to about 550 of the mill's 800 workers. But Natalie Green, spokeswoman for Smart Papers, on Tuesday said she didn't know how many of those job offers had been accepted.

        “There are still people who are thinking about it,” she said. All employees who were not offered new jobs were provided severance packages through International Paper, Ms. Green said.

        Ms. Green said she couldn't comment on reported job offers of $5 to $8 per hour less than employees were formerly earning under International Paper.

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