Green Space Millage Vote Passes; Brown, Morita, Wiggins Easily Win Council Seats

Rochester Hills voters said yes on Tuesday to a vote that would revise the permissible use of tax revenues from a 2005 green space millage, according to unofficial Oakland County election results.

The measure, which aimed to steer funding toward improving pedestrian accessibility throughout the city's green spaces, in addition to buying land and interests in land, was overwhelmingly supported by voters. A total of 5,492 voters supported the measure, making up 76.95 percent of the electorate. Only about one-quarter of the electorate was opposed to the measure, with 1,645 voters (23.05 percent) voting against it.

In the Rochester Hills City Council races, Kevin S. Brown easily defeated Jeff Lauth, who had dropped out of the race but still appeared on the ballot, taking 74.21 percent of the vote with 4,230 votes to Lauth's 1,358 in the at-large race.

Steph Morita, who appeared unopposed on the ballot but faced a challenge by write-in candidate Deanna Hilbert, easily won the District 1 race with 1,576 votes for 85.79 percent of the electorate. A total of 261 voters (14.21 percent) cast ballots for a write-in candidate.

Thomas W. Wiggins, who also appeared on the ballot unopposed but faced write-in candidate Lisa Winarski, easily won his District 4 seat with 862 votes (81.94 percent) to the 190 votes (18.06 percent) cast for a write-in candidate. 

In the uncontested Rochester Hills Library Board race, Anne Kucher earned 5,339 votes (54.79 percent) and Robert Bonam earned 4,351 votes (44.65 percent), with both earning seats on the board. Fifty-five votes were cast for write-in candidates, for 0.56 percent of the tally.