The people of DeKalb County stood up to the big bad wolf of uncontrolled governmental spending Wednesday.

Genoa residents Robert and Pat Brown represented a group which packed the benches of the board’s hearing room. The group was in attendance to protest rises in property taxes and support a resolution placing limitations on the tax.

The coalition gathered 5,770 signatures of registered voters for a petition calling for an advisory referendum in the November general election.

“People resent what the board has done. They’re not doing what the people want or told them to do,” Brown said.

Mark Ludden, state representative candidate for the 70th district, said he thinks the board can bear the burden the people are asking them to bear.

“The shoulders of the board are only as broad as the people require them to be,” he said.

“The petition is democracy at its best. This is grass root politics at its finest,” said District 2 board member George Daugherty.

“There is little doubt the referendum will pass,” said District 12 board member Dick Underwood. “It will affect the poor, unemployed and the school kids. You better be sure you want to put a cap on taxes.”

The petition will be filed today at 8:30 a.m. with County Clerk Sharon Holmes at the County Administration Building.