Tax hike nixed:

A proposed tax hike for property owners in Newport Township in northeastern Lake County was defeated Wednesday during a special session. A vote of township electors tallied 64 opposed and 56 in favor of the increase to be levied for the township road district. A petition presented to the township asked that $438,978 be levied for the road district for 2013, a 583 percent increase over the $64,252 levied in 2012. Had it been approved, the tax hike would have appeared on tax bills received in 2014.