At 8:00 when the polls closed, it was just me and Sarah there waiting on the results to be announced. The early vote numbers came out about 8:15. It was obvious mayor Aikens sales tax hike was going to fail but until the election day numbers were announced, it wasn't absolutely certain. Just before 8:30, we had gotten all the numbers and were adding everything up to see just how bad the tax hike had been defeated. Just about that time, in through the doors comes Lenoir City mayor Aikens and his sidekick, Lenoir City school board member, Chris Clabough. Aikens asked what the numbers were looking like. I told him he had definitely lost but we were just adding everything up. After a few seconds, I was able to tell Aikens he had lost by better than a two to one margin. He said that's all he needed to know and he and the sidekick turned to leave. I told them to stick around, we didn't have the official numbers yet, but they kept walking to leave. I asked Aikens where he was going to get the money now. He stopped, turned around and said, we're going to give the city schools to the county. Then out the door he went.

So, I guess Aikens next plan will be to dump the city schools on the county? Fortunately, he can't do that on his own. That would take a vote of the city residents to eliminate the city school system.

Special Election, $20,000.00,

Thousands more spent on signs and propaganda,

The look on Aikens when he found out he had lost two to one,

Priceless

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Aikens And Sidekick Enter

Aikens And Sidekick Waiting On Results

Aikens And Sidekick Leaving But Saying He Was Going To Give The City Schools To The County