This story was reported for the San Diego News Network on April 15, 2010.
Hundreds of angry San Diego taxpayers protested federal and state governments “overspending” Thursday.
More than 10 countywide anti-tax rallies and protests were planned, one organized by local and state officials on the San Diego harbor.
County Supervisor Bill Horn, City Councilmember Carl DeMaio, California Republican Chair Ron Nehring and City Council candidate Lori Zapf hosted an anti-tax protest featuring Carly Fiorina, the primary opponent of Sen. Barbara Boxer’s re-election campaign.
The five politicos had support from about 100 protesters carrying signs that read, “Don’t tax me, bro” and “Had enough.” Some carried signs that read, “Carly for California” signs, but most sent a clear message to the federal government: “We want a different type of change.”
“I don’t have change in my pocket and that’s because I just paid my taxes,” Horn told the crowd. “Washington is wasting our money and change is coming.”
Others shared a similar sentiment. Zapf said she is “so alarmed at what’s going at every level of our government.”
Zapf also said Americans pay more in taxes than they do for food, clothing and shelter combined.
“Government is a service provider not an employment agency,” she said. “We need to reform.”
Zapf’s concerns were reiterated by Colette Hessler. Hessler, a native of France who has lived in the U.S. since 1952, said she was a very conservative Republican and “proud of it.”
“I don’t want them to print any more money,” she said. “I don’t want more hidden taxes. I just don’t want this president anymore.”
Hessler, who was accompanied by her husband at the protest, said the two had to pay more this year in income taxes. Though the couple would not give an exact dollar amount, they estimate it’s between 6 to 10 percent more.
But the increase in taxes isn’t by the Obama Administration, pointed out San Diego State University political science professor Bryan Adams.
Adams said income taxes paid this year are a reflection of the Bush Administration and Americans will see what kind of hit President Barack Obama makes next year.
Adams also disregarded Zapf’s comments that Americans paid more in taxes compared to shelter, clothing and food combined.
“Look at it this way,” he said. “The average American spends about a third of their income on housing, add the total taxes paid…it doesn’t equal up properly. It could be true for very wealthy individuals since the wealthier you are, the more taxes you pay but for the middle class, that is not true.”
Adams did say that the recent health care reform plan will implement new taxes, though it could benefit some Americans.
According to data supplied by Adams’ colleague Ron King, “federal taxation as share of GDP has been quite stable since 1960, except for the dramatic recession effect this year.” Additionally, “payroll taxes are now almost equal to income taxes as a percentage of federal revenues.”
The latest budget figures from 2008 showed the federal government collected $2.5 trillion, and federal revenue ranged from 14.4 to 20.9 percent of GDP, according to the Tax Policy Center and the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution.
Though the event was labeled as the anti-tax “Had Enough,” attendees and politicos heavily campaigned for a senate seat for former Hewlett-Packard Company CEO Fiorina.
“The state of our government is in despair,” DeMaio said. “Our taxpayers deserve better… we need better leadership and on this Tax Day, I’m proud to urge you to send Carly Fiorina to Washington.”
In turn, Fiorina spoke heavily about Boxer while pointing out her and other leaders with similar viewpoints are to blame for the projected $1.75 trillion deficit facing the U.S.
“We are members of the ‘Had Enough,’” Fiorina told attendees. “We’ve had enough.”
Three attempts to reach Sen. Barbara Boxer and her press office for comment were unsuccessful. Hoa Quach is the political editor for the San Diego News Network.