The Butler County commissioners, Cranberry Township and Seneca Valley School District are on the right track in trying to encourage Westinghouse Electric to move its headquarters to the Cranberry Woods Business Park.

Compiling the right mix of incentives to bring the headquarters to this county would represent a significant economic accomplishment on the part of the three taxing entities.

That having Westinghouse here would be a prize is without question, if only because of the 1,000 to 2,000 jobs it would involve.

But the county, township and school district should exercise caution in the negotiations process nonetheless. They should be careful not to offer a package that is more generous than it needs to be.

Understandably, the package will focus primarily on tax abatements, and a reasonable abatement package should not be opposed by other businesses or individual taxpayers.

But the package also must reflect what this county has to offer Westinghouse beyond abatements — what makes this county desirable from Westinghouse's overall vantage point.

The long-term quality of the Cranberry Woods site that is available, the quality of life here, and Cranberry's easy access to major facilities such as Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, as compared with the company's current site in Monroeville, are only three of the things that must be emphasized by Butler County representatives in their discussions with Westinghouse officials.

Cranberry's easy access to downtown Pittsburgh also is a major asset that must not be overlooked.

What this county has to offer outside the realm of abatements should help prevent what many people might regard as an unreasonable level of tax forgiveness.

A 15-year tax-free zone for Westinghouse — an idea apparently on the negotiations table — would not be embraced unanimously by the people and businesses here that currently are shouldering a significant tax burden.

A resolution supporting possible creation of a tax-free zone that was adopted by the county commissioners Thursday does not guarantee Westinghouse such a 15-year tax-free window. The resolution indicates only that the three taxing bodies are willing "to consider for adoption a Strategic Business Area if the Cranberry Woods Business Park is selected" for the Westinghouse headquarters.

At this point of the negotiations, that is a reasonable, logical promise.

Butler County should consider it an honor to be a finalist for this prestigious Westinghouse facility. But officials here should demonstrate pride in what this county has to offer also, by working hard on behalf of the county's overall best interests — as well as Westinghouse's.

Like in negotiations for a labor contract, the right package will involve give-and-take on the part of both sides in a way that will in the end be of great benefit to all.