By John Kiesewetter
Enquirer staff writer

HAMILTON - More than $100 million in tax revenues from unbuilt subdivisions could pay for about two dozen highway improvements in addition to the Liberty interchange and widening the Ohio 4 Bypass, Butler County commissioners were told Monday.

The highway wish list was delivered to commissioners by County Engineer Greg Wilkens, along with eight recommendations on how the county or townships should use money anticipated from unbuilt housing developments designated as tax-incentive districts.

Wilkens had been asked by Commission President Chuck Furmon and West Chester Township Trustee George Lang to study the issue after commissioners and West Chester trustees competed to enact similar districts in May.

"You have created a consensus out of chaos," Commissioner Michael A. Fox said Monday after the presentation.

Fox had proposed in April - before consulting with township and school officials - that the county place dozens of unbuilt subdivisions into special residential tax incentive districts, and use the funds raised for infrastructure improvements.

For years, Ohio communities have used similar tax-increment financing on commercial and industrial property to pay for improvements using anticipated tax revenues - the tax increment - from increased property values after the improvements.

The committee also said the funds could be used for the public health, safety and welfare, which Commission President Chuck Furmon said could include the proposed 800 MHz countywide digital police and fire radio system.

The committee listed $108 million in projects to be spent near the housing developments in Liberty, West Chester, Fairfield and Ross townships that generate the funds.

On the wish list

Among projects recommended for funding with tax-increment funds by the Butler County Residential Tax Incentive Task Force:

Liberty Township

• Liberty Township Interstate 75 interchange, $11 million.

• Cox Road extension from Hamilton-Mason Road to Kyles Station Road, $19.1 million.

• Ohio 747 at Kyles Station Road, $3 million.

• Cincinnati-Dayton Road at Kyles Station Road, $1.3 million.

• Hamilton-Mason Road widening from Cincinnati-Dayton Road to Butler-Warren Road.

• Bethany Road I-75 bridge widening, $1.5 million.

• Bethany Road widening, $3 million.

• Ohio 747 widening from Princeton Road to Ohio 4, $4 million.

• Kyles Station Road railroad underpass, $2 million.

• Butler-Warren Road widening, from Tylersville Road to Millikin Road, $4 million.

• Cincinnati-Dayton Road widening, Millikin Road to Monroe, $1.5 million.

• Hike/bike trails, $2 million.

• Firehouse on Ohio 747, $1.5 million.

• Firehouse on Cincinnati-Dayton Road, $1.5 million.

West Chester Township

• Union Centre Boulevard improvements, $7.8 million.

• Hamilton-Mason Road at Liberty-Fairfield Road, $2 million.

• West Chester Road underpass, $5 million.

Fairfield Township

• Ohio 4 Bypass widening, $18.5 million.

• Princeton Road widening, $1.5 million.

• Gilmore Road widening, Princeton to Hamilton-Mason roads, $3.5 million.

• Hamilton-Mason Road from Gilmore Road to Iron Kettle Drive, $4.5 million.

Ross Township

• Ohio 128 at School Road, $1.5 million.

• Black Road widening, $750,000.

• Hamilton-New London Road at Black Road, $500,000.

• Hamilton-New London Road at U.S. 27, $600,000.

---

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com