A proposal to double the city tax on alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana has failed in the Unalaska, Alaska, the largest city in the Aleutian islands.

Voters defeated the bill during the city’s election on Tuesday, with 53 percent of voters opposing it. Given the city’s population of approximately 4,500 residents, the margin of defeat was just 35 voters.

The city council sent the proposal to voters as part of the process of legalizing the use of marijuana in Alaska, with revenues going in part to health care, education, and the Department of Public Safety, according to an interview that KUCB.org did with Dave Martinson, Unalaska’s city manager. The increase would have doubled the city’s tax rate from three to six percent on those three categories and would have gone into effect on Nov. 1 had it passed.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.