ALEXANDRIA - This fast-growing Campbell County city could be in for another growth spurt.

After turning down plans for a 130-home subdivision last month, City Council is expected to take another look at the development - proposed by builder Jim Berling - at its July 17 meeting, according to Mayor Dan McGinley.

Some council members originally believed that Berling would be unable to secure a sewage tap-in permit from the Kentucky Division of Water without building a treatment plant for his proposed Ridgewood Valley subdivision. For nearly a decade Alexandria has been under a state-imposed residential construction moratorium because the city's sewage system was operating at capacity.

But with a new sewer plant built by Sanitation District No. 1 scheduled to open in the spring of 2005, the state has approved construction of the subdivision, according to McGinley, as well as construction of another 135 homes in other parts of the city.

All told, tap-ins for 265 new homes have been approved. But most won't be built until the new plant is up and running, McGinley said.

Alexandria's population has grown to nearly 8,300. With the residential construction moratorium lifted, residents can expect even more growth.

"There's been a pent-up demand out here," McGinley said.

Rudy backlash

Kentucky U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Southgate Republican, expects to raise a lot of cash during an Aug. 3 fund-raiser at the Kentucky Speedway that will feature an appearance by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But some members of Northern Kentucky's politically potent anti-abortion movement - long supporters of Bunning - are privately squawking about Giuliani's support of abortion rights.

Bunning, as usual, isn't backing down but is pointing out his strong opposition to abortion. He said his campaign would turn to "whomever we can get who will help raise money for a ... 100 percent pro-life candidate."

Anyone but Chandler

In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Northern Kentucky developer Bill Butler gave $1,000 to Kentucky House Speaker Jody Richards, who lost the nomination in a tight vote to Attorney General Ben Chandler.

So is Butler, the chairman and CEO of Corporex Cos., staying with the Democrat in this fall's gubernatorial election? Not a chance.

Butler is not only supporting Republican Ernie Fletcher over Chandler, but he is also co-chairing Fletcher's fund-raising in Northern Kentucky with homebuilder Ralph Drees.

It's not a shock for a businessman like Butler to jump back and forth across the aisle when it comes to campaign donations. Lots of Northern Kentucky's well-known business leaders hedge their bets and give to Democrats and Republicans in an effort to stay in the good graces of both parties. It's just good business. You never know who is going to be in power and able to do a favor in Frankfort, Washington or at city hall and the county courthouse.

But Butler's jump to Fletcher is more personal than political. Attorney General Chandler investigated Butler a few years back as part of a bidding scandal involving a $36.9 million contract Corporex won to build a courthouse and parking garage for Kenton County. No charges were ever filed against Butler but former Kenton County Judge-executive Clyde Middleton resigned after admitting he showed other developers' bids on the project to Butler.

What they're saying

Covington City Manager Greg Jarvis, on efforts to revitalize downtown Cincinnati:

"That helps Covington, it helps the whole region. That's still the heart of our area, and when downtown Cincinnati does well we all do well."

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com