NORFOLK, Neb. -- An attempted to used a Local Option Sales Tax to pay for millions of dollars worth of development in Norfolk appears headed for a resounding defeat.

As of midnight, unofficial election results in Madison County showed the sales tax measure trailing by 30 percentage points.

If approved, the half-cent sales tax would have been used to pay for improvements to city roads, renovate the police station, construct a new indoor aquatic center, and redevelop Ta-Ha-Zouka Park.

The proposal drew sharp criticism from residents who questioned the overall scope and high cost of the projects, while supporters pointed to a previous local option sales tax approved in 2010 that sunset a decade early.