Mason voters get say on taxing corporations

MASON - City Council is letting voters decide this November whether the city should continue to tax S corporations the way they have been.

A law enacted last year says that if municipalities want to keep collecting an income tax on a shareholders' distributive share of the net profits, they have to get voter approval. If the vote fails, or if a city doesn't ask voters, then the city can tax only the portion that represents wages or compensation for services.

S corporations are not taxed on profits at the corporate level. Rather, the closely held companies can pass their profits directly to their owners, where the income is taxed. There are no exact figures on how many are in Mason, so it is unclear exactly how much revenue the city would lose if it changed the way it taxed S corporations.

City council voted 5-1 to put the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Deerfield Twp. seeking to fill finance vacancy

DEERFIELD TWP. - The township is looking for residents who are interested in joining the Finance Committee.

There is one vacancy on the committee, which is made up of three trustee-appointed community members, a trustee and the township clerk. Several advisers also attend meetings.

Applicants must be township residents who are at least 18 years old and have knowledge about accounting and general finances. A resume and letter of intent should be sent by Sept. 15 to Assistant Administrator Jennifer Wilder at the township offices or via e-mail, jwild@deerfieldtwp.com.

The committee meets at least quarterly to discuss accounting practices, investment policies and other budget matters.

Clermont Co. launches water quality Web site

BATAVIA - The Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality has launched a new Web site with information about water quality problems associated with storm-water runoff to show how homeowners, businesses and construction project managers can minimize the impact of runoff on streams and lakes.

The Web site can be viewed at www.oeq.net/sw/.

The site was developed as a service project by a group of graduate students from Miami University's Institute of Environmental Sciences and the department of English.

Public comment sought on Lunken master plan

EAST END - The public will have a chance to comment on Lunken Airport's 20-year master plan update at a workshop to be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Carnegie Center, 3738 Eastern Ave., Columbia-Tusculum.

City staff and master plan consultants will answer questions. The public can preview the master plan update in the first-floor lobby of the airport's terminal from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

Work begins for UC's new research center

CORRYVILLE - Bulldozers and dump trucks have started moving dirt for the $100 million Center for Academic and Research Excellence on the University of Cincinnati medical campus.

The 200,000-square-foot tower at Eden Avenue and Albert Sabin Way will house expanded, upgraded medical research laboratories.

The "CARE" building is expected to be complete in 2007.