The Vernon and Districts Taxpayers Association is appalled by Vernon 
Council's decision to use "'alternate financing" to stick the Vernon Taxpayers with a $20 million tax bill. Instead of Council doing its job by initiating a cost/benefit analysis and then going to the Taxpayers for their "Yes "or "No" through a referendum, this Council has decided to use an administrative loophole to spend 20 million dollars of Taxpayers' money. This is an blatant attempt to bring through the back door a widely rejected idea by the Taxpayers for a Cultural White Elephant, by putting the onus on the Taxpayers to block the proposal through counter petition. The VDTA supports the idea to upgrade our library provided it follows the Ministry's Vision for"Libraries without Walls". The VDTA also supports the RCMP, an essential service.
Council's decision to use "'alternate financing" to stick the Vernon Taxpayers with a $20 million tax bill. Instead of Council doing its job by initiating a cost/benefit analysis and then going to the Taxpayers for their "Yes "or "No" through a referendum, this Council has decided to use an administrative loophole to spend 20 million dollars of Taxpayers' money. This is an blatant attempt to bring through the back door a widely rejected idea by the Taxpayers for a Cultural White Elephant, by putting the onus on the Taxpayers to block the proposal through counter petition. The VDTA supports the idea to upgrade our library provided it follows the Ministry's Vision for"Libraries without Walls". The VDTA also supports the RCMP, an essential service. However, the Association opposes the huge expense proposed for the Cultural White Elephant and opposes any attempt to bring it in through the back door. Recently, the Coldstream Council went to the Taxpayers of Coldstream with a referendum to finance a new Fire Hall. Coldstream Taxpayers were INCLUDED and they passed the referendum, a demonstration of responsible Local Government and the responsible use of Taxpayers' dollars. Vernon Council needs to apply the same responsible approach. Furthermore, the Vernon Council that is proposing "alternate financing" is a Council that has several Councillors who own businesses and who do not live in Vernon and who voted to reduce taxes on business by over 5% while imposing that same amount on the already overburdened Vernon Taxpayers.
The VDTA maintains that Councillors who own businesses and who live outside Vernon should have excused themselves from voting on that imposition of 5% of taxes on the home owners of Vernon while giving their businesses a tax relief. The VDTA also demands to know why these big ticket expenditures are being pursued when we are supposedly in the midst of a review of the OCP, which includes a review of cultural facilities and services. The VDTA submits that Vernon Council should put a moratorium on big ticket items and spot zoning until the OCP Review is finalised with a community vision.
Contact information: Tony Stamboulieh: 260-1082
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