Voters turn down two levy requests

The Daily Inter Lake

Two property tax levy requests on Tuesday's primary ballot appeared to be heading for defeat late Tuesday night.

With 98 percent of the vote counted, a proposal to levy up to two mills for a countywide mosquito control program was running 53 percent against, 47 percent in favor.

Voters were even less receptive to a proposal to levy three mills for the juvenile detention center.

That tally was running 54 percent against, 46 percent in favor.

The mosquito levy would have allowed the county to raise up to $333,400 per year for mosquito-control efforts, including spraying, larvicides and public education.

Health officials said the actual levy would likely be much less than two mills, based on the actual cost of the program, but voters clearly weren't convinced.

The juvenile detention levy was a last-minute proposal.

It actually wouldn't have raised any additional money for the detention center. Rather, it would have paid for the facility with a specific levy, thereby freeing up three mills from the county's general property tax levy to be used for other needs.

County officials indicated that the money would be used to hire new personnel in the sheriff's office, as well as the offices of the clerk of district court, justices of the peace and county attorney.