Republican candidate for Butler Commissioner T.C. Rogers speaks during the West Chester Tea Party Butler County Clerk of Court and Commissioner Candidate Forum night at Lakota West Freshman High School Thursday February 9, 2012 in Liberty Township. The Enquirer/ Joseph Fuqua II
Sheila McLaughlin reports:
Butler County Commissioner Chuck Furmon wants to hold on to his seat. But a state representative who is losing his Columbus job to term limits and a local home builder/real estate agent want to pull it out from under him in March.
Furmon, a former Hamilton mayor who has served as a county commissioner since 1996, faces a challenge from state Rep. Courtney Combs (Ross Twp.) and political newcomer T.C. Rogers (West Chester) on the Republican primary ballot.
Combs, who represents the 54th District, has to give up that seat after five terms in office. He was a commissioner for 17 years before heading to the state Capitol in 2004 in a job switch with then- Rep. Greg Jolivette. The move, orchestrated by the Butler County GOP, was aimed at heading off a contentious Republican primary.
A fractured local GOP didn’t endorse any of the candidates for the primary race for county commissioner.
Rogers has been critical of Furmon’s performance as a commissioner, saying there is a “mountain of reckless spending” in Butler County government.
Furmon and his colleagues on the commission have trimmed 350 positions from county government and reduced the general fund budget by about 17 percent, from $95 million to $79 million.
Bringing development to Butler County to create jobs is a common theme for Combs and Furmon. Both helped orchestrate the $500 million Liberty Town Square retail development by Steiner + Associates which is being planned at Liberty Way and Interstate 75 in Liberty Township.
Furmon and fellow commissioners recently approved a memorandum of understanding, agreeing for the county to contribute 60 percent of the costs of public infrastructure, which will amount to about $30 million in tax increment financing proceeds.
Combs, as a state representative, introduced successful legislation that established a special authority to own parking garages and other infrastructure at the development, so the county won’t be financially responsible for maintenance.
The project, touted as similar to Easton Town Square in Columbus, is expected to bring about 3,200 construction jobs to the county and employ about 4,600 people in permanent jobs when the development opens. It also will generate more than $1.5 million in new sales taxes for the county, according to Steiner officials.
Read on for profiles of the three candidates, their qualifications and where they stand on the issues:
Courtney E. Combs
Party: Republican
Residence: Ross Township
Age: 66
Education: Graduate of Realtors Institute, Miami University
Occupation: Realtor
Political experience: Hamilton City Council, Butler County Board of Commissioners, State Representative
Family: Wife, Carol; five children and eight grandchildren
Qualifications: I am a 44 year veteran of the Real Estate Business. I am an owner of Combs Group Realty in Fairfield. I have served on many boards throughout the county and have been elected Hamilton City councilman, Butler County commissioner and state representative of Ohio.
Key issue: The recent State Performance audit, October 6, 2011, on Butler County, states that the county is operating in “silos.” Everyone, elected officials and departments, are working on their own. Where is the cooperation we must have in these tough times?
I formed the Economic Development Authority of Butler County, a private/public partnership bringing in over $130,000 a year from banks, utilities, and industries for future economic development in Butler County. The Commissioners let EDABC die and now Butler County is left with a non-functioning Economic Development department. I have talked with the past members of EDABC and many are willing to revise this program. My number-one priority as your next Commissioner will be jobs, jobs, jobs.
How to address it: I carried legislation in the State House to permit the development of the Liberty Way and Interstate 75 corner by Steiner + Associates. This development will bring many much needed jobs and sales tax to Butler County.
My reputation as a person who can bring people together is well known. I passed one of only five Republican bills out of the Democratic House last session. I am a real estate broker with a successful office in Fairfield. I have brought many people together over my 44 years as a business person.
I serve as the Dean of the House of Representatives, am Chairman of the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. This experience will serve Butler County well. It is my goal to bring all of Butler County back to offer shared government and to again make Butler County the best county in the state.
Chuck Furmon
Party: Republican
Residence: Hamilton
Education: Graduate of Talawanda High School, Oxford
Occupation: Butler County Commissioner/ retired Hamilton Police lieutenant
Political experience: Served as mayor of Hamilton; current county commissioner
Family: Wife, Peggy; son, Chad; and daughter, Pamela.
Qualifications: I have experience as a Commissioner. I have held this position for a number of years. I previously served as Mayor of Hamilton. I work extensively with township trustees and this has helped me to understand township government. I am a retired police officer and police Lieutenant/Commander. In all these positions I have always conducted myself in an honest and principled manner. Having served in all these various positions has provided me with knowledge and experience to understand how government works. I can continue to use that knowledge to manage county business. I have the well-being of all the people of Butler County uppermost in my mind in all decisions I make on behalf of our county. I have always been accessible to the citizens I serve. My home number 513-863-1462 has always been published.
I reported criminal activity to the FBI and worked with them to bring several greedy and corrupt people associated with the Dynus scandal to justice. Some were inside our county government and some were outside of government. The FBI informed me that this investigation resulted in seven people being convicted of various felony charges. I would like to continue to work for the people of Butler County and continue to protect our county from unscrupulous people.
Key issues: In these worldwide difficult economic times, we as commissioners must continue to stretch tax dollars and to provide the services people expect from their county government. To do this, Commissioners must work together with other office holders, to provide our citizens safety services, courts, roads, record keeping, and the many other services citizens look to county government to deliver.
How to address it: We have already drastically cut expenses. Since 2008 we have eliminated about 350 positions in Butler County government. At times, as the law allowed, staff members who work directly for the commissioners have been asked to cut their hours and their pay. During these periods I also paid back a portion of my salary to the general fund. To my knowledge I was the only commissioner to do so. We expect our existing staff to work harder and do more on a daily basis. We will continue to look for other cost reductions and make cuts as necessary. Bringing jobs and development is another way to address rising costs. We are currently working on locating a major retail and office development here in Butler County.
We have two ways to provide necessary government services for less: either keep costs low or take in more funds. I do not see the need to raise taxes. The fact is that Butler County government now functions on a State and Local Tax Rate of 6.25%. This is one of the lowest State and Local Tax Rates in Ohio. Of all 88 counties in Ohio only one county has a lower rate and 83 counties have higher tax rates. We also have the highest bond rating in the history of Butler County, this helps keep our interest costs low. These are things that happened by the commitment to lower costs by the commissioners now serving you and not by accident.
T.C. Rogers
Party: Republican
Residence: West Chester
Age: 63
Education: Garfield High School, University of Cincinnati (Bachelor of Business Administration)
Occupation: Small business owner
Political experience: Appointed to the Butler County Budget Advisory Board to help solve the financial crisis; active, long-time member of the Butler County Republican Party
Family: Wife, Ginny; sons, Jason and Jonathan. Brother of longtime Butler County Probate Judge Randy Rogers
Qualifications: Successful business owner and job creator for over 35 years. The only candidate with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (University of Cincinnati School of Business)
Key issues: Less taxes, less government and more accountability.
How to address it: The only right way to run a county is to run it like a business. Because that’s exactly what it is. Open and accurate accountability means everything. I helped review county finances recently, and discovered a mountain of reckless spending. A few years ago, only one commissioner spoke out against shameful million-dollar county employee buyouts. And it wasn’t (Furmon). T.C. will focus and fix it. I will have the courage to do more with less and the conviction to do the right thing for the people.
