Aikens and most of his council members, Lenoir City director of schools, Jeanne Barker, and her entire school board, have worked with all they had for the last few weeks to push the idea of a higher sales tax. After all their work, the sales tax hike was defeated by more than a 2-1 margin. Aikens, his wife and several council and school board members even manned tents at the polls on Saturday to try to sell the tax. They failed badly.

One Lenoir City school board member, Chris Clabough, has already taken to his Facebook page to bemoan the fact that the tax hike failed, insinuating that voters just didn't care about children and education. I responded, that the failure of the mayor's tax hike had nothing to do with people not supporting education. It had everything to do with the fact that Lenoir City residents have no faith or trust in their city officials to do what they say they'll do. They've been lied to way too many times. I was quickly blocked from his page. That tells you about all you need to know about Mr. Clabough.

Aikens had said he would build a senior citizens center/community center. He had also said if the tax passed it would be years before it would ever be built. In addition, he never said where it would be located, how much it would cost or provided any suggestion of how the facility would look. Ms. Barker did a little better. She did provide some very vague drawings and cost estimates and what she wanted to use her half of the new money for. Still not enough. If you're going to ask people to pay more taxes, you better be ready to provide total details and plans of what you want the extra money for. On top of that, as many times as the city has added new taxes and raise taxes, apparently, voters have just had enough.

The estimated cost of Aikens special election was expected to be $20,000.00. We know they also bought signs and passed out a lot of propaganda. So lets assume the stand alone, special election cost about $22,000.00. That means the 236 votes supporting the tax hike cost $93.22 per vote. On the other hand, as far as I know, I was the only person who spent any money in opposition of Aikens tax hike. I spent $240.00 for a few signs. So that means the 496 votes that opposed the tax hike cost cost about .49 cents. If you just lump the 732 votes together, each vote cost tax payers $30.00 each. Aikens was more than willing to gamble with $20,000.00 of YOUR TAX MONEY in hopes of getting millions in return. His gamble failed badly. He was convinced the special election, with low turnout would be his willing ticket. He was bad wrong. Aikens 2018 attempt to raise the sales tax was defeated by a 60-40% margin. His 2024 special election attempt failed by a 68-32% margin.

You will remember Aikens had stated the reason he wanted the tax hike on a special election was so voters wouldn't be confused and would know what they were voting for. Apparently, they knew exactly what they were voting for or in this case, Against.

There is one ironic point I have to share. I did buy a dozen big signs but I already had a bunch of "Vote No" yard signs. I've used them is several sales tax elections. I could not remember where they actually came from. Went back and looked in my records. ItT turns out, those signs were paid for by the late, great statesman and true conservative, Harry Wampler from another anti-sales tax campaign years ago. The irony is, his wife, councilwoman Jennifer Wampler, was plopped under the campaign tent Saturday begging people to vote for the sales tax hike. The same exact referendum her late husband worked so hard to oppose. My, my, how things change.

Nothing will ever change in Lenoir City until things change in Lenoir City.