By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LEBANON - Warren County Commissioner Mike Kilburn, who has criticized his opponent for taking money from homebuilders, received his largest contributions - a total of $5,000 - from two contractors and a developer, according to his latest finance report.

The final pre-election finance reports were due Thursday from campaign committees in Butler, Warren and across Ohio.

Mr. Kilburn has raised $9,785 since the primary and Democratic challenger Carolyn Tepe almost twice that, their respective reports show. Ms. Tepe's $24,500 total collected from before the primary through Oct. 16 is more than any Warren County commissioner candidate since at least 1996, according to an Enquirer analysis.

Ms. Tepe's top donors included the Home Builders Association PAC, which gave $5,000; developer Brian Byington, $1,000; the P&G Good Government Committee, $1,000; and the Dayton Area Sheet Metal Workers, $1,000.

Mr. Kilburn's top donors included contractor Charles Hamilton Jr., $2,000; developer Ed Rogerson, $2,000; contractor James Jergensen, $1,000; and gravel company owner Carl Oeder, $500.

In another key Warren County contest, the committee against expanding the Deerfield Township Board of Trustees - Three Is Enough - also filed a campaign finance report Thursday.

Three Is Enough raised $5,755, mostly from developers and contractors, including Casto Realty and Duke Realty, who are building Deerfield Towne Center; Ken Natorp; Robert Rhein; the Home Builders Association; Cincinnati United Contractors and Sieber Construction.

Friends for Five, which wants to increase the township board to five trustees, did not file a campaign finance report.

In Butler, incumbent Commissioner Courtney Combs, a Republican, added $11,325 to his $23,512 war chest. Democratic challenger Melvin Smith raised $14,506 and independent Frederick Hogan reported $1,500 in contributions.

The effort to pass a police levy in Hamilton got its biggest boost from the Hamilton Community Foundation, which contributed $21,850 of its $26,020.

Susan Vela contributed.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com