Butler County property owners are no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that the county commissioners have approved a 2010 budget calling for no increase in the 23.6-mill real estate tax.

But the taxpayers also should be content with the fact that the commissioners didn't allow themselves to fall victim to the temptation to reduce taxes because the new budget is more than $8 million lower than the $186 million 2009 budget.

Giving in to such a temptation could have resulted in avoidable money problems in the future.

A few years ago, Butler City Council approved a tax reduction, which was based more on gaining political points than common sense. While the reduction was small, giving up the money worsened a money crisis that started a couple of years later.

The county was correct in opting for tax stability. Meanwhile, the state and federal fiscal pictures would be better if those two levels of government were capable of imposing significant, real budget reductions.

William O'Donnell, county chief clerk, explained previously that a decrease in the 2010 budget total was possible because of the county spending down on borrowed money connected with the prison project.

However, Commissioner James Kennedy was correct Wednesday in crediting staff members working on the budget with helping to achieve what can be regarded as a commendable budget exercise.

Likewise, row officers merit praise for keeping their departments' spending in line not only with available money but with future county spending responsibilities in mind.

"Caution and care was taken with the taxpayers' money," Kennedy said. All considered, the fact that property taxpayers' 2010 tax bills won't be going down is not something about which property owners should be unhappy. They'll be rewarded with more stable tax rates in future years.

If it's necessary to raise taxes in the future, that increase will be less than it otherwise might have been if the commissioners had not avoided the foolish temptation to gain political points and reduce taxes now.

Adding to the good budget-time fortune was the county's ability to take advantage of a new state law enabling a lower contribution to the employee pension fund — a move that will save $1.4 million this year while maintaining a fund surplus.

In addition, the new prison is expected to bring in $500,000 or more from housing state inmates.

County residents should continue to pay attention to what is happening in their county government, but Budget 2010 should inspire confidence that good fiscal decision-making is going on in the Government Center. Taxpayers would have been justified in less confidence if a tax reduction had been implemented.

— J.R.K.