COURT OF APPEALS UPHOLDS TID FUNDING PLAN

12th DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS UPHOLDS TID FUNDING PLAN FAIRFIELD

The Twelfth District Court of Appeals today upheld a Butler County Common Pleas Court ruling which approved the bonding authority of the Butler County Transportation Improvement District. The Appellate Courtās opinion affirms Judge Michael Sageās decision to allow the TID to issue bonds. The TID plans to issue $134 million in bonds which will fund planned road improvement projects including the Butler Regional Highway and improvements to Interstate 75.

The opinion of the Appellate Court, released at 9 a.m. today, agreed with the "thorough and well-reasoned" trial court decision. The opinion goes on to say that "we cannot improve upon the reasoning and analysis presented by the Honorable Michael J. Sage in his decision." Sageās decision was filed on January 29, 1997.

"This opinion validates the TID and our funding plan once again. While we continued to press forward on our projects, it is exciting to be able to issue our bonds and move full steam ahead for our planned improvement of roads in Butler County. Itās great news for the county and the entire area," said Darrell Barger, TID Executive Director.

The TID originally filed the court case on October 16, 1996, to legally confirm its funding authority. This is an effort typically made by new public agencies when entering the bond market for the first time.

The TID leverages funds from federal, state and local sources. Decision-making power is given to the local units of government in the District which provide representatives to the TID board.