A
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Tax Day Tea Party
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in Hollister was held today at the corner of San Benito and
Fourth streets to protest abuses from the nation and state’s
capitals and it brought out local residents and many from out of
town as well. The group joined similar gatherings throughout the
country on Tax Day to protest excessive waste in government.
HOLLISTER
A “Tax Day Tea Party” in Hollister was held today at the corner of San Benito and Fourth streets to protest “abuses from Washington D.C.” and it brought out local residents and some from out of town.
Many of the protesters held signs and waved American flags as they opposed the spending of tax dollars in Washington and Sacramento.
Watsonville resident and protester Jim Santos said citizens are getting “bamboozled” by the abuses of tax dollars.
“We don’t agree with just being bamboozled with a lot of the things that are going on,” Santos said. “It’s like it’s one thing after another. If I had 10 signs out here, I could fill them all up on each side with things I don’t like about what’s going on.”
The event was put on by the Friends of the Constitution-San Benito Chapter as a non-partisan opportunity for all interested residents to voice their concerns over government spending. Marvin Jones, who leads the Friends of the Constitution group here, was there talking with protesters and holding various signs. Jones also is chairman of the Republican Party of San Benito County.
One of the protesters who had both an American flag and a placard was Gilroy resident Joe Cornaggia. He said he had been notified about the Hollister Tea Party about an hour before he showed up, and believes it was overdue.
“I’ve been saying there should have been another Boston Tea Party 10 years ago,” he said. “I think people are finally coming to the realization about how bad things are and they are tired of all the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.”
Another protester, Nick Munoz, said he was in Hollister because there was no Tea Party in King City, where he lives.
“I’m excited to see some grass-roots reaction to what’s going on in Washington and Sacramento. I think it’s thrilling,” he said. Munoz added that the turnout was “pretty good”
“Hollister is not a large county (and there are) a lot of exciting people, and it’s interesting to note the crowd – working folks and folks that are obviously businessmen, quite a variety of people, and I’m kind of pleased by that.”
Santos echoed a similar sentiment about the turnout for the local Tea Party.
“(The turnout) is pretty good for a small community,” he said. “This is close to home, so I’m happy to be here. Every vote is just as important here than it is in the big city.”
Though Cornaggia added, “I think there ought to be a lot more people out here.”
