The two-term mayor was defeated by Ballard just about everywhere else voters went to the polls. Peterson lost in:• Townships he had won handily in past elections, especially those where voters appeared to want to punish him for tax increases.• Outer precincts, especially south, where his opponent took two-thirds of the vote or more.• Even the precinct where he lives.Anger over property as well as income taxes, more than anything, cost Peterson his job, the data indicate.Washington Township resident Bill Getz, whose area saw tax increases among the highest in the county, had voted for Peterson in the past but said he couldn't do it again."My sole issue, where Bart lost me, was the income tax increase. We had just gotten shellacked with the property tax deal, and they came right back with the income tax hike," said Getz, 44. "It just showed that he couldn't possibly understand what people were going through."The backlash over taxes, however, didn't drive more voters to the polls. Turnout was virtually the same as in the 2003 election, 26.2 percent.
I must say that Anderson's turnout was higher.
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