Butler County Commissioner Glenn Anderson's point that a sports and recreation complex proposed for Alameda Park would be a way to spend money to benefit law-abiding residents was an excellent observation. He was right when he said millions of dollars are spent each year by the county government on those who have broken the law.

It's always laudable to work on a project that is positive in intent, scope and potential benefits.

But at the same time, the tone of caution that prevailed at Wednesday's county commissioners meeting also was — and remains — necessary as the project evolves. County taxpayers must not be saddled by higher taxes due to inadequate planning.

The sports complex must be self-sustaining so the county government's ultimate financial responsibility doesn't hit taxpayers.

With the commissioners already talking about the need for a tax increase for 2007, the property tax must not be made even more burdensome later because the proposed recreation complex goes sour and fails to meet expectations.

It is still early in the sports and recreation complex process. A feasibility study currently under way — a study that is to include a five-year financial model — isn't scheduled to be completed until Sept. 1.

Once they receive the study report, county officials will have a clearer path toward a successful operation than currently exists.

For now, the optimistic comments expressed by Anderson and Commissioner Scott Lowe at a public hearing Monday dealing with the complex, while noteworthy, didn't address legitimate concerns associated with such a venture.

"We're not just talking about it," Lowe said. "It is going to be done."

"It's going to move forward," Anderson agreed.

Regardless of the two commissioners' determination to bring the complex to reality, they must seriously reflect on Commissioner James Kennedy's caution about what is being proposed. Kennedy wonders whether there is enough land to house the complex as envisioned. He also is concerned about whether the proposal conforms to the county's comprehensive plan.

Understandably, ensuring that there is enough money to build the complex is the number one concern. The fact that county officials don't have a close estimate yet of what the project will cost is reminiscent of the ongoing uncertainty about what the new county prison — currently under construction — will cost.

Initially, a $7 million sports complex construction figure was talked about, but on Wednesday Anderson estimated the total cost at between $6 million and $9 million.

Earlier, county officials predicted a state grant of $3.5 million; now they're using the words "50 percent."

A concern must be whether an additional $1 million would be available from the state if the project cost were to reach $9 million.

The remainder of the needed money is to be borrowed from the Butler County General Authority, but the bigger the "loan" amount, the bigger the responsibility of county taxpayers, if the complex wouldn't meet usage or financial expectations.

It is the county redevelopment authority that is handling the financial aspects of the project, but since the ultimate financial responsibility falls to the county, the commissioners cannot detach themselves from the project in any way.

All of these concerns should not, however, detract from the positive potential of the project. The need for such a complex has been acknowledged for at least a decade. A number of hopeful plans evolved over the past 10 years, but each of those failed to move forward.

Hopefully the current plan won't suffer the same fate.

It's great whenever a project can benefit the larger community; the challenge now is to ensure that this one would do that, but without hurting others via higher taxes.

That's why caution is so important at this early planning stage.