The political battle over whether Hamilton County voters should approve a half-cent sales tax increase to help fund a new $2.6 billion light rail system is officially under way with the creation of campaign committees both in favor and against the issue.

        Backers of a pro-light rail campaign “Let's Get Moving” Thursday filed with the Hamilton County Board of Elections to become a political action committee and said that they soon will begin setting up a fund-raising structure. Campaign manager Betsy Neyer said a preliminary target is $800,000 to $1 million.

        “We're going to need to be quick and aggressive, and we have a lot of messages to get out there in a short time,” said Ms. Neyer, who owns her own downtown marketing agency, and who has previously worked to promote Cincinnati's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2000's Big Pig Gig and this summer's Cincinnati Blooms public art project.

        Earlier this week, the opposition group Alternatives to Light Rail Transit also filed with the board to become a political action committee. Committee chairman Stephan Louis, a Pleasant Ridge medical supply salesman, said that he expects the anti-light rail campaign will need only about 10 percent of what proponents will raise.

        The two campaigns will debate the proposed tax levy placed on the Nov. 5 ballot by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which oversees operation of Metro, Hamilton County's bus service.

        The transit authority wants the money to help fund its 30-year MetroMoves plan, which includes the proposed light rail system as well as $110 million worth of improvements and expansion to existing bus service.

        “It would be premature to talk about what our main messages will be,” said Ms. Neyer, who also has run political campaigns, including those of her brother, Hamilton County Commissioner Tom Neyer. “There is a lot of breadth and depth of support, but it's definitely not a partisan campaign, so it might not play out in geographic terms.”

        This will be the fifth time that a public transit issue will be on the ballot, with only one of the previous four items passing.

        That 1972 issue created the current agency, and allowed it to use 0.3 percentage points of the city's 2.1 percent earnings tax for local funding.

        Two subsequent issues, both of which would have raised the countywide sales tax to fund bus expansions, failed by wide margins.

E-mails uncover political squabble
E-mails show Luken's and Portune's differences
Report says air in Ohio among worst in nation
W. Chester officials try to shut out adult shops
West Nile find doubles search
Add Mason to list of mall sites
Coalition attacks bill backing charter schools
Labor Day travel looks thinner
Light rail factions squaring off
More time granted for overseer applicants
Obituary: Bud Weast admired for caring and ethics
Oldenburg Academy rich in charm, tradition
Tenants' views not well received by magistrate
Tristate A.M. Report
When to test for West Nile uncertain
Workers drill row after row for posts
BRONSON: Spin cycle
HOWARD: Some Good News
SMITH AMOS: Lincoln Hts. reunion
Airport named for Hogans
Butler Co. parks district wants transfer-fee increase
Clermont water tower is approved
Prison workers fear uprising
Cash-strapped Hagan runs campaign ad on Internet
Congresswoman sought help for husband's firm
Florence Y'all fest lasts all weekend
Insurance scam gets man 5 years
Lucas' fast-track view praised
N.Ky. in high gear after first W. Nile sign
Report: Gas main was left on
Schools tackle bullying
Toss out ice cream from church festival