Antioch Township Fire tax hike defeated

Voters coping with declining property values, pay cuts and job losses soundly rejected a tax increase request from the Antioch Township Fire Protection District. With all 16 precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial totals show the referendum's defeat by a 2 to 1 ratio with 874 no votes and 432 votes in favor. The district would have used the money to staff three stations around the clock and add paramedic firefighters to each station. That would have cost the owner of a house valued at $100,000 an additional $73.33 in property taxes the first year. It was the district's fifth attempt.