By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

RESULTS

Donna Yeager 763 Mike Little 681 JoAnne Cobble 678 Carol Franzen 483 Jim Kudera 478 Margaret Cook 431 Jeff Hemsath 425 Mary Pat Behler 414 Kent Kelso 402 Daniel E. Koch 386 Jim Bushong 355 Marcus Cook 330 George Sanders 327 Dave Millward 302 Thomas A. Brinker 279 Randi E. Gerig 239

Four incumbents will be joined by eight challengers in the race for Independence City Council this fall. Voters will choose six for a two-year term that pays $3,000 a year.

Eliminated Tuesday were recent council appointee Thomas A. Brinker and challengers Randi E. Gerig, Dave Millward and George Sanders.

Many of the 11 challengers say they were drawn into the race because of concerns about taxes and spending in the fast-growing city. Although they aren't running as part of a formal slate, JoAnne Cobble, 56, a retiree who fought a proposed insurance tax increase, had said that she and four other challengers - Jeff Hemsath, 30, who works for Fidelity Investments; Mike Little, 42, who has served on the city budget committee; and husband and wife Marcus, 58, and Margaret Cook, 55 - are running largely to make sure the city doesn't try to impose an insurance tax.

Other challengers are Jim Kudera, 68, a former councilman and interim mayor; Kent Kelso, 43, dean of students at Northern Kentucky University; and Daniel E. Koch, 41, a member of the city's board of adjustments.

The ballot will feature four incumbents: Donna Yeager, 70; Carol Franzen, 33; Mary Pat Behler, 48; and Jim Bushong, 61. Eric Dupps is not seeking re-election.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com