Baseball park bond issue fails, tax rollbacks win at polls

A $6-million bond issue to build a new baseball complex in Olney failed by 25 votes, while two statewide measures to roll back property taxes passed overwhelmingly in the May 6 special election, unofficial results from Young County election officials showed.

Olney voters re-elected Jake Bailey and Jeff Harvey to the Olney Independent School Dis-trict’s board of trustees, and selected the unopposed Summer Branum to replace Len Bernhardt in Place 5.

The state constitutional amendments, Propositions 1 and 2, which hold down property tax increases for seniors and disabled people and cut property valuations, passed with 88.4 percent and 86 percent, respectively, of the vote.

The OISD Proposition A - raising $6 million through the sale of bonds to refurbish and expand the city’s baseball park - failed, garnering 46.6 percent or 173 votes versus 198 votes opposed to the measure.

Harvey kept his seat with 51.7 percent or 186 votes, compared with 48.3 percent or 174 votes for Chris Widner.