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Mission Viejo Draws 600 TEA Partiers Mission Viejo, CA, April 17, 2009 – Organizers of the Mission Viejo Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party estimate 600 people attended the April 15 tax protest. The rally took place on the corners of La Paz and Marguerite from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. as part of the nationwide tax protest. Saddleback Republican Assembly members organizing the event say it drew residents from Mission Viejo as well as neighboring communities. Participants of all ages lined the sidewalks along La Paz and Marguerite. During the rally, organizers circulated two letters of protest that were each signed by more than 500 people. The first protest letter was addressed to Gov. Schwarzenegger and California Legislators. Following is the message, which was signed by 513 people: “When you plugged California’s $42-billion budget hole in February, the increases in the personal income tax and the vehicle license fee fell squarely on the shoulders of working-class Californians. You had your say, and we’ll have ours in the May 19 Special Election. It’s time to say NO to more taxes, and we expect you to decrease state spending! The tea bag [pictured on the document] is a symbol of our protest." The second letter, addressed to President Obama and Members of Congress, was signed by 523 people: “We do not believe it is patriotic to pay more taxes. We do not approve of $1.4 billion in new taxes, $636 billion in higher energy taxes, the staggering redistribution of wealth and wasteful spending as a cure for the economic crisis. We, the undersigned, are sending you this symbolic tea bag [pictured on the document] to protest raising taxes on every American.” “Diamond Tom” Speiss provided music during the rally from a microphone on one of the corners. Mark Dobrilovic emceed the event and introduced speakers, including Mission Viejo Councilmembers Cathy Schlicht and John Paul Ledesma. State Assemblyman Jeff Miller’s office sent Brian Anders, who addressed the crowd, and Steve Thornton, chief of staff for Congressman Gary Miller, was in attendance. Tina Neukirch joined Dobrilovic at the microphone to read her original poem, “Tea Party Anthem.” Members of SRA say their next effort will be the defeat of Propositions 1-A through 1-F in the May 19 statewide Special Election. Other reports about the rally can be found on MissionViejoDispatch.com and the county’s premier news blog, OrangeJuiceBlog.com. A TEA Party participant, Rick Moore, posted a story with photos on http://holycoast.blogspot.com/2009/04/mission-viejo-tax-day-tea-party.html
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