HAMILTON — Butler County commissioners decided Monday to place a proposed sales tax increase on the November general election ballot instead of the May primary ballot.

        Commissioners Mike Fox and Chuck Furmon, who have supported the tax increase, said it will have a better chance of winning voter approval in November.

        “We'll have more time to campaign for the tax increase,” Mr. Furmon said.

        Postponing the vote also will enable more voters to weigh in on the issue because more people vote in general elections than in primaries, he said.

        But backers of the tax increase also say postponing the vote until November will drive up the cost of important road projects and may kill some of them, especially the $90 million Ohio 63 extension,

        By a 2-1 vote in December, commissioners had approved a plan to raise the 5.5 percent sales tax by a half-percentage point for six years and then drop it by a quarter-percentage point for four years. But they rescinded that increase last month because of a referendum drive challenging it.

        The increase would raise $129 million over 10 years for major road improvements and other projects designed to boost economic development.

        Mr. Fox and Mr. Furmon blamed the leaders of the referendum drive for forcing the delay and jeopardizing road projects that they say would bring new jobs to the county.

        Mr. Fox repeatedly referred to the referendum leaders as “knuckleheads,” and accused them of trying to advance their own political careers at the expense of Butler County's future.

        Catherine Stoker, a West Chester Township trustee who was one of the referendum drive's leaders, disputed Mr. Fox's criticism.

        “The accusations are just so much hogwash,” she said. “Mike Fox is howling because his way didn't work out. They did it to themselves.”

        Ms. Stoker said Ohio 63 and other major road projects won't ensure economic development.

        Building roads means nothing, she said, unless the county creates a business-friendly environment and makes sure there is available land and a good market for the desired businesses. She said the county hasn't clearly outlined the benefits of the road projects.

        The Ohio Department of Transportation has set aside $27.7 million for the first phase of the Ohio 63 extension.

        The state has given Butler County until April 5 to advance a plan for raising $27 million in local funds for the project, which calls for extending the highway from Salzman Road in Monroe to U.S. 127, north of Seven Mile.

        Commissioner Courtney Combs said the county will ask the state to push back its deadline because of the Nov. 5 vote.

        But commissioners fear the state could decide to give Butler's money to another community whose project is ready for construction.

        “Legislators from other areas are going to put pressure on ODOT to transfer this money to their projects,” Mr. Fox said.

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