" yawn "

" Honestly, Connie, I don't know where to begin. You might want to write a follow up letter to apologize to all your liberal friends for pretending to represent their thinking.

Here's how the Illinois Income Tax works, in simple terms: Let's say that 1993 Illinois total taxable (individual) income was $100. The tax revenue from that $100 would have been $3.00, right? $100 X 3%. Capiche?

Now, let's say that the Illinois total taxable (individual) income had doubled to $200 by the year 2008. The tax revenue from that $200 would have also doubled - to $6.00, right?

Wow, see how the revenue miraculously doubles - even though the tax rate stays the same? Amazing.

Remember, Connie, in the words of your buddy Karl, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need". The harder we all toil for the common good, the better we are able to care for the people's state, you know, the central committee over there in Springfield. "

" "Illinois has been running its business with the same percentage of income tax for 16 years now. Can we really expect them to continue doing business on the same income?"

No. The state's revenue isn't at the 1993 level -- it's at the 2009 level because it's a percentage.

Theoretically, every 16 years we raise the income tax by 2 percent, and in 720 years the government can expect all 100% of our income. Or something like that, right?

It's not that we'll be here in 720 years, but rather, a percentage taxes should be sufficient.

If there are more people now in the state, there will be more income to tax for those additional services, thus the state does not need to increase the amount taxed.

If there are less people now in the state, there will be less income to tax for services, but less services used.

Maybe the state should consider cutting back on hand-out services (medical care for illegals?), watch how it wastes money (money sink state parks and dead end agricultural pet projects), and reward those who deserve it (Iraqi war veteran who saw combat with additional educational benefits) and merely thank others (2 year enlistments in the Air Force who never left the states who already have the GI Bill.)

Connie, you want to be back in the same place you were the last eight years? If so, continue with these crazy ideas and people will start to take Doh seriously. "

" Connie is right, state revenue has drastically dropped.

It seems to be a pretty simple problem. Either raise taxes or drop something.

For those that yell cut the fat, I would say cutting every single bit of fat wouldn't make up for the loss in revenue. I have a problem believing there is 9 billion in fat out there. Remember, we're talking billions here. Without an increase in revenue, many programs will need to be totally eliminated.

If the citizens of Illinois want the state to continue operating at its current level, they will have to accept a tax increase.

If the people don't want an increase in taxes they need to accept these cuts. "

" I would however require some sort of transparency as to what the new money is used for. For example, like the Recovery.Gov site for the United States expenditures, Illinois should provide such a site. I think the site should also show where the legislature has done some cutting in spending as well.
-------------------------
Transparency comming out of chicago?
You have got to be kidding!
Typical Dem. answer to all problems.
Don't cut back on spending, just add more tax to the people in a recession
and call it fair. "

" Tom Andres wrote: "Now, let's say that the Illinois total taxable (individual) income had doubled to $200 by the year 2008. The tax revenue from that $200 would have also doubled - to $6.00, right?"

You conveniently (or maybe purposefully?) left out the fact that those $6.00 in 2008 is not necessarily the same purchasing power that $3.00 was in 1993. "

" people in illinois are spoiled. their tax rate is low in comparison to the majority of states.

wanting and expecting something for nothing...the great republican way of life. "

" Typical Dem. answer to all problems.


Oh really, I guess you didn't see the part about Ryan's contribution to this mess, huh? No jack, it's no just a Dem problem. The Pubies have dirty hands on this one too. "

" This and many other taxes, fees, and more taxes and fees, are the equivalent of an auto company being able to write themselves a check to be bailed out for being failures, in a business they chose to be in and continue at, but don't really understand the impacts of decisions they make.

One thing people for these solutions fail to bring up, is set tax rates are designed to be permanent. These aren't closed one income flat rate systems, that are supposed to be victims of inflation. Several kinds of growth are supposed to bring the additional money needed. When they don't have it, and keep spending money they don't have, why is raising taxes, fees and closing parks, programs and historic sites the first thing to creep into being a solution for their failures.

Even 93 was economic down turns, also historic floods. In 15 years they did nothing to ensure solvency. If anything inthat time, they made it more improbable. All the robbing peter to pay paul, most always ends up costing more eventually. They were loosing money hand over fist, when things were peaked. Most of the fees and taxes, had already been bumped, and now they want to increase their direct revenue per individual rate.

In 2005 more than 1 billion a year was being sequestered just in TIF districts throughout the state. When growth does happen, which this state has long been weak in, some of it can manage to not contribute additionally to covering costs. Just normal population growth, should be the standard for spending levels. Periods of boom, should be the time for some additional discresionary projects, as revenue out paces spending levels, but also keeping a reserve for the always impending bust that pops up from time to time. Many people progress up in wages from the time they enter the work force to the time they leave it. If this state were doing its job, and being responsible, they would get a raise every year, in collected revenue, and never have to increase anything prohibitively or otherwise.

The more they shift from education to other things, the less likely its citizens are to see as much of a potential in income. The lottery, was supposed to be their cash cow in more than one respect. If it funded education only, from day one, like it was sold to the public as, things would likely be a 180 from what they are and have been. If all schools were accountable, for every dime of public money, they could find ways to cope with what many already spend per student annually. If there was proper growth in the district, that fully contributed to it, when things leveled off, tax rates should be held or even reduced.

Government spending money they don't have, and increasing taxes and fees, to solve their shortfalls, has come full circle. The people in leadership positions evidently think the boston tea party, was some festival out east. TIF and other tools, ammount to taxation without representation.

Even after PTELL, local tax bodies failed to get the message. Sure we get the its only 20 more dollars each, but annually, year in year out, isn't chump change, and there still is no end in sight. Every 5 years they pull it, it adds up to 100 dollars each, and thats just for low asessed average homes. Most habitat houses, should assess higher than what they base the its only 20 more dollars on. When are they going to pull back on the reins, do a top to bottom spending check and cost analysis and get their expenses managable and accounted for.

Since legislating in this state has been so ineffective, instead of discussing them getting raises, they should probably go back to part time non sallaried positions like they used to be. I think that could be put up for vote in an election, and have a fairly strong backing.

If they can't muster the guts to effectively do their job, without constantly saddling up the population to make up for shortfalls they created or did nothing to responsibly correct or adapt to, its time to re evaluate their contracts. 40k a year for a part time job, is more than twice what average people would make. They make more than 3 times and feel a cost of living is their right. If they were effective, no one would notice or complain. If they managed to impact keeping the cost of living in this state down, more power to them. They could give themselves one, and not raise their sallaries to do it.

Their raises should be tied to the state of the state. They get a flat sallary, for showing up, if they miss, they don't get paid. Their pension, benefits and other perks need based on what they earn, not some arbitrary tiered system. If the state does well, give them a bonus from the money left over after they complete a budget on time. If they fail to meet a deadline, it is free, no overtime pay and no bonus. If there were consequences, good and bad, how they do business would likely shape up in a hurry.

Until they show they can properly manage money, higher taxes and fees, need to be the last revenue source sought. Their own sallaries and budgets should be pared down to bare minimums, or elimination, before more of the citizens harder to earn dollars get folded into their free wheeling spending abyss. "

" Harry, citizens all across the nation are being forced to think in terms of billions and trillions. My opinion, those numbers are far too abstract for the average citizen to comprehend. Most of us can't even comprehend a million.

Most Americans (the middle class) think in terms of $500 to $1,000 a week take home pay, or $200 - $300 a month in car payments, or maybe $500 - $1,200 a month in rent or house payments.

I don't believe the state deficit is $11.5-billion. I think thats a manufactured number for the sole purpose of posturing for a federal bailout, or to justify raising our taxes. It is fiscally impossible for the state deficit to have grown from just $2-billion less than 90-days ago to the $11.5-billion they say it is today. That 575% increase in such a short time is very strong evidence that Springfield is spinning a tall one. Either that or we were being lied to back in January when the deficit was stated at $2-billion.

If the 11.5-billion number were actually true, and if it's a result of state revenue being that much less than it was just a few months ago, then obviously we need to cut back on expenses - IMMEDIATELY. If we dont, by June, well have a $21-billion deficit? Quinn says his budget total is somewhere around $58-billion. The $11.5-billion then is a 20% shortfall.

If your own family had a 20% shortfall, you and your spouse would be spending sleepless nights, pushing the pencil, trying to figure what to cut. Youd be talking with your family about turning out the lights, wearing sweaters and turning down the thermostat, driving less, selling the second car, eliminating the entertainment and dining out budget, no birthday parties, no Christmas presents, selling the boat or the camper or both, canceling the family vacation, shopping for clothes at the second hand stores, sending the kids to school with sack lunches, getting at least two part time jobs one for you, one for your spouse, maybe one for each kid 16 and over.

The boys and girls in Springfield should be doing the same kind of pencil pushing. If they would cut expenses across the board by 5% per year, wed be in the clear in less than 4 years. The reality is that Springfield isnt a separate entity thats self supportive. Springfield is us. Therefore, they need to CUT SPENDING just like we would! "

" Tom Andres:"Here's how the Illinois Income Tax works, in simple terms: Let's say that 1993 Illinois total taxable (individual) income was $100. The tax revenue from that $100 would have been $3.00, right? $100 X 3%. Capiche?

Now, let's say that the Illinois total taxable (individual) income had doubled to $200 by the year 2008. The tax revenue from that $200 would have also doubled - to $6.00, right?"

So if you're assuming for every $100 earned in 1993 the earnings now will be $200, then indeed the revenue will be doubled --- but following your logic the money required for materials and salaries would also have doubled -- and you're back exactly where you were.

So your point was ..... I think you broke the lead in your pencil. "

" Oh Yeah, lets raise some more taxes!!

I wish I had a job with the State Highways Dept, so I could sit on my "rear" in one of those yellow trucks, for most of the time, like "they do", and draw $30 bucks an hour. With full Benefits, and health care, and a great taxpayer retirement.

When do you ever see anyone of them working? "

" Connie, you need to study Hauser's law. No matter what the tax rates have been, in postwar America tax revenues have remained at about 19.5% of GDP. I know that is federal, but it works the same for the states. It's common sense to anybody but liberals that if you raise taxes, it kills spending and jobs which lower GDP. So yes, the state is bringing a larger percentage of money, but a larger percentage of less money, works out about the same for revenue and stunts the economy even worse.

This brings up another point. Look at the Laffer curve at this link from the WSJ.

http://tinyurl.com/yon4mg

Here is a piece:

"But one reason those countries chose to move to the Cayman Islands and elsewhere is because of the high U.S. corporate tax rate. The Laffer Curve analysis indicates that these corporate tax increases are likely to raise little if any additional revenue, because companies will have a new incentive to move even more of their operations out of the reach of the IRS.

For all the talk of "tax equity," this is also a recipe for further inequality by driving more capital offshore. Research from Mr. Hassett and others has shown that high corporate tax rates reduce the rate of increase in manufacturing wages (See our editorial, "The Wages of Growth," Dec. 26, 2006.). For that matter, most economists understand that corporations don't ultimately pay any taxes. They merely serve as a collection agent, passing along the cost of those taxes in some combination of lower returns for shareholders, higher prices for customers, or lower compensation for employees. In other words, America's high corporate tax rates are an indirect, but still damaging, tax on average American workers."

Look at our neighbor state to the east. I don't think Toyota execs are Hoosier fans. They instead, migrate to states with a more business friendly environment. More business means more jobs and more tax revenue AT EVEN LOWER RATES. I know the Democrats are on a campaign now to turn the American Public against the evil rich people, but they need to do their homework and look at what really works. "

" BTW Connie,

I didn't see the AIG bonus payments on recovery.gov. The administration knew about them ahead of time, so they must be there somewhere. Maybe I just missed it. Can you help me out? "

" No, X, the reason my hypothetical was sparse in details is because I was trying to make a simple point to Connie Manes that if the Illinois economy is growing, a 3% tax rate produces a directly proportional amount of growth in tax revenue. If 3% was adequate in 1993, it should be adequate now.

If the Illinois economy is shrinking, then state services should also be shrinking. Simple enough.

To answer your question regarding the purchasing power, 1993 compared to 2008, inflationary factors are all interactive and automatically infused into the formula. For example, as costs rise for the consumer (the taxpayer), labor rates also rise to compensate, to offset, those cost increases. Like I said, as the state economy grows, so does the tax base, and so does the tax revenue.

Is your personal taxable income the same as it was in 1993? I hope not. As your personal taxable income increases, the amount of income tax you pay to the state also increases in direct proportion. The problem is that the state of Illinois budget is growing faster than your income. By the way, to complicate the matter further, Illinois is losing business populations because of higher taxes than other states (and in some cases, other countries), and some of our higher-earning labor force is also moving out of state. Eventually, what well have left is a very large population of takers and not enough givers. "

" Hang in there, Cogman. Eventually, the light will come on.

You say "... following your logic the money required for materials and salaries would also have doubled -- and you're back exactly where you were."

Exactly! You've made my point. If the state budget growth is in proportion to financial health of those who support it, the state should never have to raise taxes.

Still think I broke my pencil? A clever comeback, but unfortunately, it doesn't fit in here. You really don't get it, do you? Too bad. "

" Get the HELL out of my Wallet!! And stay out. I'm sick of your taxes. Reduce spending!! "

" More money to steal. "

" wanting and expecting something for nothing...the great republican way of life. "
---------------
I think you have that backwards, by mistake I'm sure.
Freeeeeee has always been Demo slogo.:)
----------------------------------
One the greatest president in my time as for my opion was John kennedy and we "all" have forgot his most wonderful words of wisdom. Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. It's words of wisdom that both parties and people have forgot.
Greed has replaced the meaning of those words.

----------------------
Oh really, I guess you didn't see the part about Ryan's contribution to this mess, huh? No jack, it's no just a Dem problem. The Pubies have dirty hands on this one too. "
---------------
I think the Demo's have a 4 to 1 ratio on corruption as Governors. But I'm sure the 1 Repo caused the most damage to Illinois. :) All politicians have dirty hands. Their lawyers! "

" Lets not forget the state gave themselves a raise several times, since 1993 by raising the minimum wage. It's more than double, now isn't it? There are near 13 million people in this state. Of those that work, they now make at least more than double, what minimum wage used to be. More people make more money than they did 15 years ago. Many probably have to work much harder to do it sometimes.

1993 population 11,697,000. Census estimated population of 2008 is 12,901,563. Thats a net population increase of 1,204,563 just over 10 percent in 15 years. More people are paying their 3 percent, plus all the other taxes, fees, and what not.

Right now things might be lower on the earnings side, but these guys were 2 billion in the hole, at the peak of the boom. Some how they jumped to nearly 6 times that in 6 months or less, depending what reports you go by. Spending is so loose, they lost 10 billion more, and had to wait for it to show up in some auditing questioning, at transition time, to notice or acknowledge it.

Its odd they are now in the red, very close to what they hoped to get from leasing the lottery. Did they spend money they hoped to get? I don't think they can blame a 10 billion dollar sink hole in their finances on Rod or Madoff, if they can, someone else also wasn't doing their job. I think a collection of them in springfield, haven't been for too long. Now that it has finally come home to roost, they want the citizens to pick up even more of their tab.

These folks have zero fiscal responsibility, zero accountability, and zero credability. Rod may be gone, but he didn't do any of this on his own, they all have been there and done absolutely nothing, but look for ways to get more money to throw into their completely failed business. Rose and Righter included. Last years overtime again budget, if you can even call it that, was a joke. How many times have they robbed peter to pay paul, to the tune of how much?

Look at all the ways they have increased revenue, since the sham selling of the lottery funding education. Look at all the higher taxes, fees, casinos, lottery expansion, etc, and they still spend more than they collect. The state is no better at what it does, than the big 3 are at making money in an industry they built. How does that even happen, unless people are just there to put in time, make easy money, and simply don't care.

If a company handled its self or its finances the way the state does, they would be shuttered, and likely face fraud charges. "

" Bull. "

" It's odd that you all seem to notice that INCOME increases and therefore revenue to the State also increases; but you ALL ignore the FACT that cost of living, repairs, maintenance, health care and goods have also increased.

Let use the so-called $100 x 3% theory. That comes to $3 you say. Now we make $200 a year x 3% = $6.00 revenue, right?

Well, lets look at the just the cost of health care for the State. Health care alone has increased by 120% since just 2000 according to National Coalition on Health Care..

Revenue increased 3%, health costs increased 120%. A 117% difference. Even if you cut expenses by 100%, the cost of running the State is still 17% higher today then it was back in 93.

Get my point?

Just look at what Health Care Finance News reports for Individual's income and healthcare costs are: "The cost of an individual insurance policy has increased 61 percent from $2,560 in 1996 to $4,118 in 2006. Nationwide, the amount that employees pay for an individual policy has increased 79 percent, with wages increasing just 10 percent over the period."

You might have gotten that 3% increase in your wages people; but your health care cost increased 79%. You must have had to cut expenses by around 76%. Did you? I doubt it, you demanded a raise instead.

The same people saying today, "NO NEED FOR INCREASE INCOME TAXES, JUST CUT SPENDING", are the same people that don't believe in a living (minimum) wage or any increases in them, no matter how many years the wage has been paid and no matter how much the cost of living has increased.

I ignore those folks and face facts. "

" I'd like to point out that I am NOT an expert, not even a beginner. I'm just using simple logic -- as Spock use to say, having the same rate when everything else has increased --"Does not compute".

I also remember back in 93 when the last increase was discussed. These same attacks were made back then. If they had their way the State would do their work VOLUNTARILY. Lets ask the legislators to work for free - why not? Stay out of our pockets you say. "

" Main problem with a percentage increase is that if you give the crook a bigger piece of the pie..that crook will always find more ways to throw it away and keep coming back and asking for more. Cut the junk out of the budget...don't just throw more of OUR money at the problem. If we do throw OUR money at the problem, it will ONLY get bigger. "

" When expenses outpace income, it shouldn't get to 2 or 12 billion short, before they decide to take a look at thowing more money in the sink hole to try to back fill it.

If they can't afford to maintain various non essential programs that aren't necessary to be state ran controled and overhead carried, cut or get out of those areas. Contract the work out to something private. Including minimum security prisons among many other things. If pension and benefits are the big stone in the craw, grinding up huge ammounts of revenue, reduce the obligations. Companies do it, its called sub contracting. Pay for the work, but not the workers for the rest of their lives. If your broke, limit new item purchases to emergencies.

For at least 6 years, Rod and others commuted to work on our dime. They still haven't plugged that hole. There are many shovel ready holes in their entire operation, top to bottom. Its easier to keep throwing money in and ignoring where its hemoraged profusely, than to take determined steps to make tax dollars spent as cost effectively as possible with no exceptions.

Taxes being increasingly spent on retirement benefits, and perks, is not what the tax system was designed to do. Sounds like more of a monarchy, than any kind of democratic society. Nurses can work over 30 years, at a local hospital, and when they retire they only have medicare and cobra for health care. Some lawyer can get elected and serve 7.5 years, and have a cozy package to live out their days on.

If you think, the state is going to do anything to manage costs long term, besides increasing their wages, benefits, and other pets, they had 15 years since the last income tax bump. Inaction has compounded the issue, and will continue to.

They did cut out the tuition waivers, after cutting education, and seeing lots of press on the practice and its impacts. Tuition is still headed north, now 2 or more times what it was in 1993.

This raise will happen, like it or not, as will likely another tobacco, fuel, alcohol, and several more fee increases. It may well be enough to see several elections shift from blue to red seat occupants. That is what also happened when they used this response in 1993. Its a cycle, and they are stuck in constantly repeating it, rather than effectively confronting the underlying issues. "

" Mike P: Your comment, "This raise will happen, like it or not," is probably true and if the state converts to Red again, the Republican Party will once AGAIN benefit from the Democratic Party's courage to ask for more revenue.

As far as I know, every increase has been asked by Dem's and it's been the Republicans that went and spent the new Revenue and got credit for doing so. "

" Here is an interesting note I stumbled across, The appointed position of Auditor General has been held by the same person since 1992. Here is a discription from cyberdrive.
---
Through the Illinois Constitution and the Illinois State Auditing Act, the Auditor General is vested with the responsibility of auditing and reviewing the receipt, obligation and use of all State of Illinois funds. As a principal agent of legislative oversight and public disclosure, the Auditor General conducts the Illinois Post Audit Program, which strengthens control over government activity by providing accountability to the people and their elected representatives.
---
His appointment term is 10 years, and not up again until 2012. Been keeping things "accountable" to the public since 1992. Given they have raised taxes soon to be twice, besides all the other funding increases imposed and through growth, since he began watching, wouldn't this office be a good place to pink slip and get some proper focus on this position. If they don't find a vicious watch dog, to post here, it probably won't take 15 more years, before they head back for going still deeper into our pockets. "

" Do I not recall that former Gov Rod said that the only reason he was being removed from office was because 'they' wanted to raisr taxes? "

" I am sure the state is in need of more revenue, but I am not sure raising income taxes, especially at this time, is the way to generate it.

Given its geographic location Illinois should be very desirable for business, but the truth is that the state's politics and policies have made it very undesirable for many type of businesses.

Make the state desirable and companies will come here bringing jobs. More companies, more jobs means more revenue and less expenses. "

" Yes, Jim, your points are valid except one major problem. We Illinoisans don't speak Indian or Chinese nor are we willing to work for $.85 an hour either. We've been sold down the river by greedy corporations and our esteemed law makers who took the pay offs. "

" The end consumer pays ALL taxes. Commerce pays NO taxes. That's just the way it is. Period.

If the State of llinois saddles commerce with taxes and fees of any kind, commerce merely adds the cost of those taxes and fees to the price of their products and services and passes them on to the market.

Best solution: create a tax-free environment for all businesses in the state. No income tax, no property taxes, no license or user fees, nothing, nadda, zip.

It wouldn't be long before commerce of all kinds would be lining up at the borders, trying to bribe state officials to be allowed to move into Illinois and create millions of jobs. "

" I agree Becky. The country as a whole has lost tons of jobs other nations, but it is not just the corporations and our government that is behind it but the consumer as well. We want the most bang for our buck and if that means buying something made in China then that is what we do all too often. Buying products made in America would help with the outsourcing of jobs to other nations, but Illinois has lost many jobs to other states because of fees and taxes imposed on them.

Tom is right in that in the end it is the consumer that really pays all taxes, but the market has a big say in how much any given product or service will sell for, and if the end cost of a product is cheaper in Indiana or Texas than in Illinois that is where the company is going to go. "

" Tom Andres, Ed Miller, and other conservative bloggers....

With all due respect, why do you all contunue to engage the leftist hyperbole here on these blogs?

I came to the conclusion awhile ago that engaging the leftists on here does nothing more than help increase the readership of a leftist forum known as the "print media".

So Tom and Ed, and the other conservative posters on here, please stop engaging these blogs. Just stop.

If we don't engage them then all these leftists here sound like nothing more than a bunch of squawking old hens squabbling back and forth in a knitting circle.

If we provide no counterpoint...there's no readership...with no readership...we win by shutting down their forum.

I suggest engaging breitbart, yahoo, drudge, and others blogs and forums where "our agenda" is getting out and reaching the masses, "unencumbered" (i.e. uncensored) by the control of the media leftists.

So I implore you...Tom and other conservatives...please stop blogging on here.

Boy...I wonder if this will get censored? "

" Once again, Neo attempts to play monitor. No one is forcing you to post on here, and I think it takes a lot of guts for you to try to get others to stop posting on here because you're upset over something. You and your type have just as much of a right to express your views and those on the left do.

Reminds me of the kid who says if I can't pitch, I'm taking my ball and going home.


If you choose to stop posting on this site in favor of a site more receptive to your views, by all means, do it. Your whining about evil Democrats won't be missed. "

" If we provide no counterpoint...there's no readership...with no readership...we win by shutting down their forum.

My my, aren't we full of our self?

Adios, Neo!

See you when you calm down. "

" Best solution: create a tax-free environment for all businesses in the state. No income tax, no property taxes, no license or user fees, nothing, nadda, zip.


Yeah, and the state could put out some of those kettles like the Salvation Army uses to raise money for services, roads etc. "

" Harry Potter wrote on Mar 31, 2009 12:48 PM: Yeah, and the state could put out some of those kettles like the Salvation Army uses to raise money for services, roads etc.

Come on, Harry, you know better. This is not a partisan issue. This is a taxpayer versus politician issue. Can we drop the Democrat/Republican veils just for the sake of solving this spending deficit problem? It is true that commerce doesnt pay taxes ever. The cost of taxes paid by commerce goes directly into the cost of all products and services offered to the end consumer.

Theres an interesting front page story in the JG this morning about lobbyist money being spent by governmental agencies. Lobbying costs paid by governmental agencies is similar to taxes paid by commerce in that these costs are 100% paid by the end consumer the only taxpayer there is.

Dont you get it? In any economy or form of government, the end consumer pays the full cost of government because the moving money begins and ends with the consumer.

Join the protest and dump some tea in the harbor with the rest of us who are tired of high taxes and deficit spending. "