Douglas voters shoot down utilities tax

The winner of Tuesday's Republican primary for Douglas County Commission District 3 said he is getting ready for the next round.

"What a night," winner Doug Johnson said from his Gardnerville home. "It really hasn't set in yet. I've had a lot of people e-mailing me."

Johnson received 2,800 votes to Joe Denton's 2,236 and Valida McMichael's 1,350. Johnson enjoyed the support from backers of the Sustainable Growth Initiative and spent only slightly less than Denton in the campaign.

Denton received the backing of the Douglas County Building Industry Association.

Johnson will go on to the general election, where he faces Democrat Jane Foraker-Thompson and Independent American Sam Dupuis. Both Johnson and Foraker-Tompson were backed by proponents of the Sustainable Growth Initiative.

McMichael said she kept track of election results on the Internet.

"My condolences to the people of Douglas County," she said of Johnson's win.

However, she did celebrate the defeat of Question 1.

"I'm tickled to death, Question 1 went down in flames," she said.

Advisory Question 1, seeking voter approval of a plan to increase the utility tax to pay for a new Carson Valley senior center, a recreation center, an entertainment center and a center for seniors at Lake Tahoe, was defeated 6,767 votes to 3,615.

Question 1 supporter Ron Sandstorm said he was devastated by the margin of the measure's defeat.

The tightest race of the evening was between school board Area 1 candidate Ron Beck and incumbent Loren Orr. Beck took the race by a difference of only 68 votes, 2,972-2,904. Both men will face each other again in November.

Third candidate Veronica Hulsey polled 2,491 votes in the race, maintaining a close third.

School board area 3 candidate Lawrence Howell won the primary with 3,858 votes.

However, challenger Cynthia Trigg, who received 2,455 votes, will be back to face Howell in the general election.