Central Valley Tea Party in Tulare | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Fresno, CA They're expecting anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 people to come through the gates to rally against more taxes.

Hundreds of chairs are lined up inside the International Agri-Center's dairy pavilion. Tens of thousands of people are expected here on Saturday for what could be the largest rally against taxes this year in the central valley.

Eric Hughes with Central Valley Tea Party said, "We're back to the tea party of 1776. We've got too much taxation, we've got too much government control and we have free enterprise is disappearing."

Hughes hopes Saturday's event will send a clear message to lawmakers that Americans can't afford any more tax hikes.

The tea party will kick off around the corner from the Agri-Center on tax drive which will be blocked off for protesters who want to express themselves.

Then at 11am, the event will continue at the dairy pavilion. Large audio equipment has been set up for a number of speakers who have traveled from even outside of California to get their anti-taxes message out.

Irma Espinoza said, "I am tired of government not representing my interests and representing the interest of others with my tax money"

Espinoza said the people who show up tomorrow are sending a message that they're tired of government spending. The July 4th central valley tea party will send a similar message as the Fresno tea party on April 15th.

Volunteer coordinator Katy Hughes said their 75 volunteers have worked 10-hour days this whole week to get ready for the tea party. "It's been really long, really labor full but we've done everything we can making sure the guys have enough food and drinks to keep them going and keep them in good spirits"

Unlike Boston's tea party of 1776, the word "tea" is an acronym: standing for "taxed enough already"

Organizers have already raised close to the $28,000 dollar tomorrow's event is going to cost.

The Central Valley tea party events kick off at 8:30 Saturday morning.