To coincide with the delivery of property tax bills over the Memorial Day weekend, Bob Drake, a Democratic candidate for Hamilton County Treasurer, unveiled a plan Monday to allow taxpayers to keep the interest earned on their tax payments.

Currently, the interest earned annually on monthly and biannual tax payments is kept in the county's general fund.

Drake, who faces incumbent Treasurer Rob Goering this November, said he would return to the taxpayers all interest earned annually from their tax payments. Their final tax bill every year would be reduced by the amount of interest earned by their payments, he said.

Presently, tax payments collectively earn about 7 percent a year, he said. The average rebate under his plan would amount to $75.

Drake, a professor of mathematics education at the University of Cincinnati, says his proposal is nothing new, and has been in place in Summit and other counties for several years. "I have been puzzled why we haven't done this in Hamilton County," he said.

Goering could not be reached for comment.

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