WASILLA -- Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents voted in favor of a property tax break for seniors and some veterans, and Wasilla city voters installed a familiar name as mayor in local elections Tuesday.
A ballot proposition to increase the current $170,000 property tax exemption for seniors and disabled veterans was passing handily, according to unofficial results after borough polls closed Tuesday night. The proposition would raise the total exemption to the first $218,000 of a home's assessed value but is forecast to cost the borough $2.4 million in lost tax revenue.
Another proposition to bring borough Assembly district boundaries in line with state redistricting was also passing.
In the only contested borough Assembly race, Big Lake trails advocate Dan Mayfield was leading Wasilla resident Bill Kendig in District 5, an open seat vacated by longtime borough elected official Darcie Salmon. Incumbent Steve Colligan ran unopposed.
Voters in Wasilla backed a new mayor: the city's deputy administrator, Bert Cottle, who faced planning commissioner Loren Means. Preliminary results from the city showed Cottle with 75 percent of the vote to Means' 25 percent. Also in Wasilla, Stu Graham was defeating opponents Tim Burney and Allison Sacco for an open seat. Incumbent Colleen Sullivan-Leonard ran unopposed.
In Palmer, incumbents Linda Combs and Brad Hanson held onto their council seats, defeating Elden Tritch. The election was based on the most votes received among the three.
In Houston, Mayor Virgie Thompson was retaining her council seat against challenger Ron Gaffney by just 19 votes, according to unofficial results in that city. Then again, only 134 people voted on Tuesday, so those results were expected to stand.
Voter turnout boroughwide barely cracked double digits, according to unofficial results.