Tax protesters organize tea party for Everett

EVERETT -- They're calling it a tea party, but they're more concerned about taxes than tea.

And the atmosphere promises to be more frustrated than festive when protesters gather on the Everett waterfront today to raise their voices about record government spending.

The event coincides with the due date for federal income taxes. Others tea parties are taking place in Seattle and Spokane, and at the state capitol in Olympia.

"This is a protest of so much spending. It's kind of getting out of control," said Keith Jackson, 49. The Everett resident said he plans to attend because federal taxes are too high. "I don't mind my paying my fair share," he said, "but enough is enough."

The Everett event starts at noon at 10th Street Marina Park. After 2 p.m., the crowd will start moving over to Clark Park for a march on Everett City Hall, via 24th Street, Broadway and Hewitt Avenue.

Taxpayers in Monroe last month staked out a busy intersection to hold the county's first tea party to protest government spending. Another event is planned in Monroe later this month.

While much of the attention has been on the federal government, the Evergreen Freedom Foundation planned a march on the Washington state capitol before the tea party movement caught fire. The Olympia policy research group is focusing on the state's $9 billion budget shortfall.

"The fact is (legislators) have spent far too much in the last two budget cycles," said Amber Gunn, director of the foundation's economic policy center. "Where we are is not surprising."

The foundation wants voters to look in the mirror as well, Gunn said, because a majority of the electorate voted for the politicians who are making the current decisions.

The recent tea party movement got its start after CNBC analyst Rick Santelli called for a new Boston Tea Party from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Feb. 19. He was responding to President Barack Obama's home­owner bailout plan and other spending measures.

In 1773, American colonists threw tea into Boston Harbor because they were angry with the British government over tea taxes.

Snohomish County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Phillips doesn't plan to attend today's event. He said taxpayers' time would be better served by examining the federal government's Web site that shows where stimulus money is going.

"They would do better to stay home and hit recovery.gov and track where their money is going," Phillips said, "rather than going to a protest and whining about the fact that they have to pay taxes at all."

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.