I was more than upset over the half-truths and innuendos in a recent guest editorial by the president of the Home Builders of Greater Cincinnati, Alan Schmidt.

In it he blames the "concerned citizens" of Butler and Clermont counties for the "sprawl" that has so dramatically affected their quality of life. He intimates that if they hadn't resisted the developers' original plans they wouldn't have the sprawl they now have. To me, he's chanting the Big Brother mantra "Trust me. I know what's best" for the building industry.

The last time I heard those words they came from Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus when he was garnering votes for a football stadium. Being from the west side of Hamilton county, I don't know the particulars of their plight, but if it was anything like what we "concerned citizens" have experienced, the builders/developers will do what they please and where they please. And they will do it with the blessing and cooperation of township trustees, zoning boards, planning commissionsand county commissioners. Big money begets big concessions.

Mr. Schmidt then makes the statement that developers don't adhere to the "build it and they will come" philosophy. He says they will undertake a project only after a sophisticated market analysis. We got a telling glimpse into the degree of this sophistication at the first public hearing last August. The hearing opened with a statement by the pro-development pushers and shakers conducting the hearing. They said, "Western Hamilton County is the only place left in the county that hasn't beendeveloped." Is this what Mr. Schmidt considers a 'sophisticated market analysis."

They then went on to tell us how they proposed to develop it. Shortly after hearing their analysis and proposal the Concerned Citizens of Western Hamilton County was formed. Mr. Schmidt doesn't seem to like concerned citizens whether they be from Butler, Clermont or western Hamilton counties.

And, as we are finding out, neither do trustees, builders, and county commissioners. They attack any suggested moderation of their aggressive plans as anti growth and portray those who suggest moderation as no growth meddlers.

Meanwhile they're busy dividing and subdividing our magnificent woodlands while figuring their share of the spoils.

One last point. I resent subsidizing these builders. They don't need to figure the cost of water, sewers, upgraded roads, police, fire or maintenance into their cost analysis.

We taxpayers pay that for all that.

For example, there is now a plan to widen Harrison Avenue to seven lanes from Miamitown to the outskirts of Cheviot. There will be seven additional traffic lights (with six more pending) and two new access roads.This seven-lane highway will be needed to accommodate the projected volume of traffic (a doubling) after developers complete their building frenzy. Along with the tax bill, we get noisy trucks, exhaust, and gridlock at every strip mall entrance.

Through taxation, we are being forced to subsidize the destruction of our neighborhoods. The home building industry and its president Mr. Schmidt consider this "growth."

Concerned citizens of Butler, Clermont and western Hamilton counties see it as a sham and a shame.

BOB NEAL Cheviot