TEA party in Goodland protests raising taxes
By MIKE CORN
On Wednesday morning, Ken Klemm had no clue how many people might show up for the Goodland edition of an anti-tax rally.
It was a TEA party if you will -- Taxed Enough Already -- and modeled after the historic Boston Tea Party.
"Anywhere from me to 100," Klemm said. "I'm guessing we'll have 20 to 50."
A similar TEA party that had been scheduled for Ellis was a no-show, but there had been no advance warning about where the protest might take place. No one, other than people taking advantage of recycling containers, were on hand at the downtown park in Ellis.
The Goodland protest was the only one of its kind in northwest Kansas. Across the state, 35 protests were scheduled. But much like the Ellis event, many didn't list a time or a location. Eighteen listed both categories.
The TEA parties, appropriately enough, were scheduled Wednesday -- the final filing day for income tax returns.
"It's a taxpayer's revolt," Klemm said of the reasons behind the protests. "Citizens are very disappointed."
He joined with the national group sponsoring the protests to cite a recent $500 billion tax bill that recently was approved.
"And they didn't even read it before they passed it," Klemm said of Congress.
In anticipation of the event, Klemm had affixed an American flag to a flatbed trailer he owns for use as a speakers podium. If the wind wasn't blowing too hard, he said, he had hoped to fly the Kansas flag as well.
"We'll have invocation," he said, "cite the Pledge of Allegiance."
Klemm said he planned to give a short talk, turning over the podium to anyone else who might want to say a few words.
The group then walked around the block, passing in front of the Sherman County Courthouse.
He had expected the group might even sing a few songs.
"Then I guess we better get back to work," Klemm said. "We're all working people."
Klemm said he's helping organize the event simply because it's time to do something.
"We feel like something needs to be done," he said. "If not us, then who? If not now, when?"