HAMILTON — Opponents of the Butler County sales tax increase have been taking their petitions and pens not only door-to-door, but wherever crowds gather — from high school wrestling matches to church bingos— to collect enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot.

        Since the holidays, the pace of the referendum drive has quickened. But those leading the drive don't know whether they'll be able to gather the required 8,842 valid signatures by Jan. 16.

        The completed petitions that have been turned in contain about 1,000 signatures, said West Chester Township Trustee Catherine Stoker, who initiated the drive along with fellow Democrat Terry Bridges.

        She said she has no idea how many signatures are on the 270 petitions still circulating. Each petition has space for 67 signatures.

        “It's going to be nip-and-tuck whether we have enough signatures by the deadline,” Ms. Stoker said. “I don't think any of us will know until we come down to the wire.”

        By a 2-1 vote Dec. 17, the county commissioners approved a 10-year sales tax increase that will take effect March 1 if the referendum drive fails.

        The sales tax would jump by a half-cent for six years and drop a quarter-cent for four years. The $129 million it would generate would be used primarily for major road improvements and other projects designed to boost economic development.

        If the referendum drive succeeds, voters will decide the fate of the sales tax increase in the May 7 primary election.

        Although two Democrats are spearheading the referendum drive, most of the 100 people circulating petitions are Republicans and independents, Ms. Stoker said.

        Martin Wisbey, a county Democratic Party official, said about seven out of 10 people he approaches with the petition sign it.

        “There seems to be a lot of support to get it on the ballot,” he said.

        Commissioner Mike Fox, who voted for the sales tax increase along with Commissioner Chuck Furmon, defended it as critical for Butler County's growth and economic health.

        “The proposal we've made is good for Butler County residents and good for its future,” he said.

        “Any attempt to block the creation of 36,000 new jobs over 20 years concerns me deeply.”

        Ms. Stoker, who opposes the tax increase, said the focus of the referendum drive is on the need for people to have a voice in the tax hike, not their feelings about the tax increase itself.

        “We're not trying to stop a tax increase,” she said. “We're simply trying to get the taxpayer a say in the matter.”

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