Butler County supports a plan for economic revitalization in Butler.

The county commissioners Wednesday approved the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance, which gives a temporary property tax exemption to building owners who make improvements to their structures.

Under the county's LERTA, building owners in four commercial zones will be exempt from paying any taxes on any new construction or renovations for five years.

The tax abatement drops to 66 percent in the sixth year and 33 percent in the seventh year.

The owners pay the full taxes in the eighth year.

None of the taxes owned on the original value of the building are exempt under the program.

Not all the commissioners believe LERTA is a good program.

Commissioner James Kennedy dissented in the vote to pass the resolution.

He said in an interview building owners sitting outside the affected zones still must pay the full taxes assessed.

"I feel it's an unfair advantage," Kennedy said.

Commissioner Dale Pinkerton disagreed.

"I'm supporting it because I think it will help the city," he said in an interview.

Commissioner Jim Lokhaiser sided with Pinkerton. Lokhaiser said the key was limiting the number of years for the full abatement to five.

"Anything longer than that, I wouldn't be in favor of," he said.

The city and Butler School District already approved their versions of LERTA.

While the city has a 10-year abatement, the school district has a similar incremental decrease starting with the sixth year.