WEST CHESTER TWP. - Among many accusations slung around during the trustee race in this Butler County suburb: New trustee George Lang's property value on his pricey Wetherington home is inappropriately low.

Butler County Auditor Kay Rogers was treasurer for Lang's campaign.

But both deny the allegation that Lang received a special tax reduction - and Rogers notes that Lang's property value is about to go up to $480,000 because he has finished his basement.

"People ought to do some homework before they just go around running their mouths," Rogers said.

Many properties in Wetherington have seen reduced home values in recent years, auditor officials say and records show.

Officials attribute the surprising trend to either increased competition from similar homes of that caliber flooding the market and/or the controversy when the subdivision privatized by shutting its gates in March 2002

Lang's Saint Ives Lane home was valued at $395,520, down from the $398,860 it was valued at in 1999, records show.

Loveland battle spurred by court statement

LOVELAND - A statement in court last week by an attorney representing Loveland seems to have added some last-minute fuel to the campaign that unseated three council incumbents.

While arguing a case against activists who went on to handily oust Mayor Donna Lajcak, Vice Mayor Dave Bednar and Councilwoman Peggy Goodwin, attorney Tom Stachler told a Hamilton County judge that the city was filing in the Ohio Supreme Court to try to block citizens from voting on a referendum to stop spot zoning in the city.

Stachler's statement came less than 24 hours after incumbent candidates made public statements at a voter forum that they hadn't decided the issue.

Challengers Katie Showler, Paul Elliott and Todd Osborne used that to their advantage. They distributed fliers in Loveland neighborhoods days before the election, questioning who was telling the truth and saying statements by Stachler - in a court setting where truth is paramount - proved that council intended to stop citizens from exercising their right to referendum.

Lajcak, who made a miserable showing in Tuesday's election, made it a point to call a reporter saying the group was spreading lies and its fliers constituted a "last-minute smear campaign."

At the same time, City Manager Fred Enderle was left scurrying to do damage control by explaining to reporters, other council members and the public that Stachler misspoke.

Suburban Insider is compiled by Jennifer Edwards with contributions this week from Sheila McLaughlin and Erica Solvig.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.