The terms have been set, a line has been drawn and the battle has begun as the Vernon and District Taxpayer’s Association have taken to the streets with a counter petition to block the city’s plan to borrow $20 million for the construction of a new Library/Civic building. “This has been talked about so much in town that people know what it is about,” said Wilma Dean, who, with her husband Dalton, was manning a desk where people could sign the counter petition in front of Towne Cinema. “Well over 50 per cent of people walking by have signed,” said Dalton, as Wilma happily explained the petition process to an interested passerby. Wilma said that the majority of people were angry that the counter petition process was being used to prove public approval of the borrowing instead of a referendum.
Tony Stamboulieh, spokesman for the taxpayer’s association, is confident that this anger will translate into enough signatures to stop the city from using long term borr
owing to fund the construction of the building which will house the Library and art gallery as well as RCMP and city offices. “Signatures are coming fast; we’ll get more than what we need. On the first day we already have very good numbers,” said Stamboulieh, “We have no intention of failing.” Stamboulieh added that in addition to having booths positioned at locations around the town from now until the process ends on August 15, taxpayer’s association members would be going door to door collecting signatures.Mayor Wayne Lippert said that the city was aware that the threshold of 2,777 signatures 
needed to halt the borrowing process was attainable. “Chances are that (the petition) will succeed. It certainly has been on the public’s mind; anything is possible. I just hope that people have the correct information about what they are signing,” said Lippert. Lippert added that while many would sign the petition to protest the alternate approval process itself, that wasn’t what the petition was for. “Don’t sign if it’s the process you’re worried about and not the borrowing. Send us an email. We’ve heard people don’t like the process but this isn’t about that or about the building itself, its about how we plan to fund it.” Lippert said that if the counter petition did succeed, the city could either take the issue to a referendum, sell assets to fund the building or use short term borrowing which would be paid back over four years. However, Stamboulieh said that the city would proceed with the construction at their own risk. “If they think they will press on, there will be repercussions. We are not going to sit down and watch them do whatever they like.”
needed to halt the borrowing process was attainable. “Chances are that (the petition) will succeed. It certainly has been on the public’s mind; anything is possible. I just hope that people have the correct information about what they are signing,” said Lippert. Lippert added that while many would sign the petition to protest the alternate approval process itself, that wasn’t what the petition was for. “Don’t sign if it’s the process you’re worried about and not the borrowing. Send us an email. We’ve heard people don’t like the process but this isn’t about that or about the building itself, its about how we plan to fund it.” Lippert said that if the counter petition did succeed, the city could either take the issue to a referendum, sell assets to fund the building or use short term borrowing which would be paid back over four years. However, Stamboulieh said that the city would proceed with the construction at their own risk. “If they think they will press on, there will be repercussions. We are not going to sit down and watch them do whatever they like.”
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