Sometimes you can fight township hall

Results are in. 73.79% NO, 26.21% Yes

This committee formed October 1st. Everything was done in essentially one month. While we were aware of the millage, it took a chance look at the township website and the master plan that spurred a group of residents into action. This millage was a 1.5 mill tax increase over 15 years. That had its critics. The master plan showed the list of projects. That was a game changer. It's now more than taxes. It's about wasting money, widening and paving roads, and destroying rural character.

That was unacceptable. That's why Protect Genoa Township Neighborhoods was formed. That's why it was named Protect Genoa Township Neighborhoods instead of "no new taxes." The word got out, and the voters saw what this was about. This failed township wide, even in the Latson area. This was absolutely massacred in the Eastern portion of the township.

	Turnout	Yes	No	Total	Yes%	No%
Genoa 1 & 9	17.71%	186	378	564	32.98%	67.02%
Genoa 2 & 10	16.82%	117	249	366	31.97%	68.03%
Genoa 3 & 11	19.58%	92	374	466	19.74%	80.26%
Genoa 4 & 8	33.91%	181	698	879	20.59%	79.41%
Genoa 5 & 12	31.62%	161	417	578	27.85%	72.15%
Genoa 6 & 7	36.14%	291	778	1069	27.22%	72.78%
Total	25.93%	1028	2894	3922	26.21%	73.79%

You don't get 30% on an off year one issue ballot until people are fired up. 33% is more than an August primary. The highest turnouts were in these areas:
Genoa 4/8 - Most of Cunningham Lake, Pine Creek, part of Prarie View, Walnut Hills, Mt Brighton, Rolling Meadows.
Genoa 6/7 - Part of Cunningham Lake, Mountain, Mystic Lake, Oak Pointe.
Genoa 5/12 - Southwestern part of the township. 

Obviously, more than just the folks on the Genoa side of Cunningham Lake showed up to vote. This wasn't just them. By vote numbers, they aren't enough to matter. They had to have others help. From a percentage standpoint, precincts 3 and 11 had more no votes than precinct 8, which has most of the Cunningham Lake area.

Some township officials said that Mountain or Prairie View wanted this paved. That was a misconception that was misread by the powers that be. If Mountain wanted this, the numbers in precincts 7 (most of Mountain) and 8 (Most of Prairie View) would be closer. The no's would not be 70%+ I bet precinct 8 on its own was about 85%+ no.Prairie View can outvote Cunningham Lake if they want.

People don't want their money wasted over 15 years, their rural roads widened, their gravel roads paved, or new projects taken up when the main roads are not being taken care of at this time.

While today was a win, this is not over. This could come back at some point at a future date. We need long memories to make sure projects like this are buried and we don't see their ghost as a future date. Hopefully with results like this, it will be a long time. There's still a couple of preventative measures in the works, but for now. Let's enjoy this big win.