The tea party is the taxpayer saying I have had enough. I am Taxed Enough Already. I am going to try and put your frustrations with government into words. I do this with facts and figures. I need to let you know that wasteful government spending is not just a problem on a federal level.

In 2002 state and local government spending was $93 billion in Florida. In 2006 it skyrocketed to $151 billion. Because of Save Our Homes most of that additional burden was placed on the backs of small business owners, who have laid off nearly one million Floridians.

The State of Florida is cutting spending dramatically. But where is local government spending? They are stuck on the top floor. The reason the taxpayer is frustrated with local government, and some are down-right disgusted, is because in the City of Orlando the public servants make twice the annual wage of the taxpayers that support them. We have factual information directly from the cities in Volusia County that reveals the same thing here also. The reason taxpayers are frustrated with governments across Florida is our public servants have twice the pension and health benefits of the taxpayers. The reason the taxpayer is frustrated with government at all levels is because you, my friends, are getting screwed.

The worst part about the insane amounts of local government spending is that our services keep eroding. Taxes go up, crime goes up. The reason for this is because more and more of your tax dollars are going into the black hole of benefits. Our local government is an ancient gas guzzling four-engine 707 jetliner sucking your tax dollars at an amazing rate and not getting far in the process. We need to reform local government from top to bottom.

Our mission at LowerTaxesNow.org is to repeat the government budget study we did in Orange County in every county across Florida. Our study found that we spend an incredible $7 billion in local government just in Orange County. We came up with recommendations to save $1.2 billion annually and increase service levels at the same time. Lower spending and safer streets.

Imagine if we can save 20% on all government spending in Florida. That will reduce taxes by $30 billion annually. That money will flow into our restaurants, hair salons and other small businesses. We have one million small businesses in Florida. If each one hires just one person unemployment does to zero. If they all lay off one employee unemployment goes to 20%. It is clear to me the path to economic prosperity is to lower the burden of government on small business.

In order to achieve this goal we need your help. We need taxpayers to ignore their differences on social issues and unite to take back our government; to return fiscal sanity to all levels of government. I ask that you repeat the following pledge of allegiance to the taxpayer. Please repeat what I say after my pause.

I, state your name,

do solemnly swear,

to unite with my fellow taxpayers,

to take back my government.

I promise to visit LowerTaxesNow.org,

To join any reform group,

And to make a difference.

So Help Me God.

One of our goals at LowerTaxesNow.org is to have 1000 reform candidates on the 2010 ballot. I ask that each of you consider someone who can deliver this message of economic reform. We need to grow a new breed of politician that is going to do things differently.

Ronald Reagan loved to see America as the shining city on the hill. Today, our economy is a dark and rainy night. But all is not lost. American small business can pay off our debts, employee our citizens, and get us out of this mess our government created. But we need to change our direction first. We need to take the handcuffs off our economy and let small business pave the way to a better future like it has always done.

America will once again be the shining city on the hill. That is something we can promise. Please help me bring all of us there.

Margie Padgett - Executive Director
www.LowerTaxesNow.org
matthew@LowerTaxesNow.org