HAMILTON — Both sides in the battle over Butler County's sales tax hike got busy Wednesday.

        Leaders of the petition drive to put the tax increase to a vote by referendum declared success as they turned in petitions to county officials.

        And Commissioner Mike Fox said a citizen committee headed by community leaders will be formed for a public education campaign. The goal is to explain to voters the sales tax increase is for growth, not to expand government, he said.

        Specifics on the committee haven't been decided; officials are waiting for the signatures to be verified. If enough are, the increase would be halted, pending a May vote.

        “If they have the signatures they represent they have, I am pretty confident this will go to the voters and they will have the final say,” Mr. Fox said. “We'll do our best to convince them this is the right thing for them. I'll just be glad when it's behind us.”

        County commissioners approved a 10-year sales tax increase to take effect March 1. The sales tax would jump by a half-cent on the dollar for six years, then drop back a quarter-cent for four years.

        Two of the commissioners — Mr. Fox and Chuck Furmon — voted Dec. 17 for the tax increase to raise $129 million for major county road improvements and other projects they think would boost economic development and bring high-paying jobs. All three commissioners are Republicans.

        Petitioners hit the ground running early Wednesday for last-minute signatures at local stores before jubilantly delivering more than 600 petitions with 12,700 signatures to the Butler County Auditor's Office before the 4 p.m. deadline.

        They needed 8,842 valid signatures, but wanted extra to give themselves a cushion for the verifications.

        A plainclothes West Chester police lieutenant escorted them along the Michael A. Fox Highway to the building.

        Catherine Stoker, a West Chester Township trustee, fellow Democrat Terry Bridge and four other petition leaders insisted one of them watch as County Auditor Kay Rogers counted the petitions.

        After calling the prosecutor's office for an opinion, Ms. Rogers agreed and Mr. Bridge witnessed the count. She then gave the group a receipt for 632 petitions.

        The auditor's office has 10 days to turn the petitions over to the Butler County Board of Elections for validation. The board must verify that those signing the petitions are registered Butler County voters; it's not clear how long that will take.

        Meanwhile, the Butler County Prosecutor's office reported receiving two anonymous complaints Wednesday morning that petitions were being signed while left unattended at the Lane Public Library in Fairfield.

        About seven other complaints were informally lodged earlier this week after callers told Prosecutor Robin Piper and other officials they saw petitions being signed while left unattended at local businesses.

        Mr. Piper publicly called for the petitioners to follow the law and cautioned that violating it is punishable by up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

        Ms. Stoker has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as “political malarkey.”

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