HAMILTON — The Edgewood School District and the Butler County commissioners have settled a tax-abatement battle with Cinergy.

        According to the agreement approved Thursday by the commissioners, Cinergy will pay $4.5 million to the district over the next nine years.

        That's $2 million more than the district would have received from the original 10-year tax-abatement agreement with Duke Energy, which sold its Woodsdale power plant in Madison Township to Cinergy last year before it opened, Commissioner Mike Fox said.

        Cinergy officials had wanted the commissioners to transfer the Duke tax abatement to their company. But Edgewood school officials said that would be an improper use of a tax abatement.

        They said tax abatement is supposed to be used to attract new jobs and new businesses, not to subsidize business acquisitions.

        Superintendent Tom York asked the commissioners in July to help in the schools' fight against Cinergy.

        Neither the commissioners nor Edgewood school officials wanted to file a lawsuit.

        So the commissioners arranged a meeting of all parties last week to discuss a possible settlement. That session resulted in the agreement.

        The settlement was signed by Mr. York, Cinergy representative Gregg Scott, Commissioner Courtney Combs and Madison Township Trustee Alan Daniel.

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