Referendums shot down

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 28, 2008

Okanagan Indian Band members overwhelmingly have shot down electoral reform and a new source of revenue. On Wednesday, the vote for a custom election code was 266 against and 97 in favour, while it was 263 opposed to the band collecting property taxes from non-members and 103 in support. “Democracy has spoken,” said Chief Fabian Alexis. The concept of a custom election code had been proposed by the band council and it would have ended the current regulations implemented under the federal Indian Act. “It would have developed our own process and criteria for elections,” said Alexis. “Right now, the terms for chief and council are for two years and it was proposed they go to three years.” As for the other referendum, the council was asking the membership for approval to start collecting property taxes from non-natives living on reserve land. Currently, taxes from those non-members are collected by the cities of Vernon and Kelowna and the Central Okanagan and North Okanagan regional districts. “We will have to continue to live within our limited resources,” said Alexis. “We will have to be more resourceful with the funding we have.” In 2005, $1,789,180 in taxes was collected for properties occupied by non-natives, and none of that money went to the band for programs or services that it operates. Alexis would not speculate on why a majority of band members were opposed to taking over taxation from other jurisdictions. “The people who voted have said no for their own reasons,” he said.