Champaign Co.Sales Tax Hike Passes, Prussing Wins in Urbana

Voters in Champaign County have approved a 1% hike in the county sales tax to help school districts pay for construction projects and pay off bond debt. Champaign joins two other counties in the state with such a sales tax -- several other counties voted on similar referenda on Tuesday. The sales tax was passed with 53% of the vote. Voters in the Urbana Park District also passed a property tax hike.

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing won a second term, easily defeating Republican Rex Bradfield and two other candidates. Incumbents David Gehrig, Robert Lewis and Heather Stevenson regained their Urbana City Council seats, and Democrat Diane Marlin won ther lone open seat.

In Champaign, William Kyles defeated Freddie Gordon to win the open District 1 council seat. Incumbents Michael LaDue and Marci Dodds also won. Republican Pam Borowski defeated D'Anne Winston to win the City of Chamapign Township Supervisor seat that had been occupied by Democrat Linda Abernathy. Incumbent Brian Christie held off Democrat Wayne Williams in the City of Champaign Township Assessor race.

Incumbent Dave Tomlinson regained his Champaign Unit 4 School Board seat -- Thomas Lockman will join him along with Stig Lanesskog, who defeated Lynn Stucky by only three votes for the third available seat.