Portune/Pepper August tax hike plan encounters more problems Plan for permanent sales tax increase now more expensive

The price tag of Todd Portune and David Pepper proposed August vote for a permanent sales tax increase to fund new social workers in Hamilton County has become more expensive, with the Hamilton County Board of Elections now estimating that the specially-scheduled vote will cost taxpayers $1.625 million just for the election.

The Portune/Pepper plan is to raise $64 million for five years to fund the construction of a new jail, and then $32 million per year permanently thereafter to fund social workers to address what they call the "root causes" of crime. Similar to Bill Clinton's failed "midnight basketball" program, the Portune/Pepper plan stretches the claimed need for more jail space into a massive and permanent slush fund for more social spending in the County.

"This transparent attempt to snooker the voters into a permanent tax for social workers is a cynical political game by Portune and Pepper," said COAST Chairman Jim Urling. "Further, their political gamesman ship does not benefit the taxpayers, but costs us $1.625 million. Portune and Pepper deserve our scorn for this blatant shell game. COAST will work to make sure their tax for social workers fails either way."

Portune and Pepper claim that the special election will somehow "save" Hamilton County money, but the proposed August election is really and transparently an attempt to prevent large blocks of voters from having a say on the issue. First, the Commission passed on the chance to have a May 2007 vote on the issue. Now, they want to accelerate the election by a mere nine weeks beyond the November vote. In reality, if it fails, the special election will cost Hamilton voters $1.625 million. If it passes, it will raise the cost of the special election and increase taxes and spending by $64 million. The election nine weeks earlier will not accelerate the groundbreaking of the new facility, which will be in the Spring of 2008 either way.

Commissioner DeWine has opposed the special election and the Portune/Pepper proposal for a permanent tax for social workers.