IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers TAXED OFF—From left, Simi Valley residents Pat Delling, Catherine Lang and Barbara Still raise their signs and voices against government spending and bailouts as part of the Tax Day TEA party protest outside the Simi Valley Civic Center on Wednesday afternoon. Area residents armed with American flags, handmade posters and their convictions took to the streets Wednesday to rally against increased government spending and higher taxes.

Stationed on street corners outside the Civic Center in Simi Valley, the protesters waved signs that read: "Tax Revolt, Enough Is Enough," "We Cannot Afford This 'Change,'" "Veterans Against Socialism" and "I Don't Want Your Debt."

Cheering, whistling and shouting at those driving by, the crowd solicited mostly positive responses, with cars honking their horns in support. A man in a city Public Works truck even gave a thumbsup as he zoomed past the rally.

The Simi event was just one of thousands of TEA (Taxed Enough Already) parties held across the country April 15, the deadline for filing state and federal tax returns.

FED UP—Woodland Hills residents Hanne and Dick Koerber, above, wave signs and cheer as passing cars honk during the Tax Day TEA Party protest on Wednesday at the intersection of Alamo Street and Tapo Canyon Road. Diane Antoni of North Hills, at right, crafted some tea bag earrings to go along with the event's theme. Another protest took place on Madera Road outside the Reagan Library. The TEA parties, which harken back to the 1773 Boston Tea Party, a precursor to the American Revolution, were mainly in protest of President Barack Obama's policies—in particular, the bailouts and the federal stimulus plan.

According to the National TEA Party Day's website, 2,049 cities hosted TEA parties on tax day.

"Hopefully, local and national government will take note of all the protests," said Terri Cole of Thousand Oaks. The 54-year-old resident was holding a Gadsden flag—the original flag of the 13 colonies—that pictures a rattlesnake and the words "Don't Tread On Me."

Photos by IRIS SMOOT Acorn Newspapers "They have forgotten that we pay their salaries and they work for us," Cole added. "They're not listening to us. They just keep spending our money and it boils down to taxation without representation."

The rally in front of City Hall kicked off at noon and lasted until 5 p.m. At times, more than 200 protesters, both young and old, braved the cold and windy weather to make their voices heard.

Longtime Simi residents Cheryl Hillman and Janet Willingham organized the protest on the corner of Tapo Canyon Road and Alamo Street. They said the "silent majority" is fed up with the federal government's fiscal irresponsibility and pork barrel politics.

"We're not happy with all the spending and leaving this tremendous amount of debt for our children and grandchildren," said Hillman, 53.

Willingham said tea partyers are also "steamed" that lawmakers didn't even read the stimulus bill before signing it into law.

"Where's the representation if nobody read the legislation?" she asked. "They're willing to subsidize failure so they'll have increased power. And that's not what America's based on."

Gene Bolsoni, from Woodland Hills, agreed that the bailouts and stimulus package were mistakes and he doesn't want his 5-year-old daughter growing up in "this mess."

"(Obama's) going to drag this country down," said Bolsoni, 53. "You can only take the money from the rich people once and then they're poor. There's not enough money in the country right now to pay for what he's done."

Protesters were also upset about state spending, recent tax hikes and hikes that are looming. Many expressed concern over the May 19 special election, which includes a proposition that, if approved, would extend recent tax increases for up to two years— for a total of $16 billion—to help solve the state budget crisis.

"They say the first six months of the year you're working to pay your taxes. That's not how America was founded," said Thousand Oaks resident Mary Lou Borgstrom, 53. "Enough is enough."

Across town, a similar TEA party took place down the hill from the Reagan Library, at the corner of Madera Road and Presidential Drive. There, protesters handed out postcards addressed to the president with the image of a pig and the words "Veto the Pork. No Earmarks."

Rally organizer Robert Andrews said that protesters are from many different backgrounds but are united by a shared purpose.

"What we all have in common is that feeling in your stomach that this just isn't right," the 49yearold Simi resident said. "If we don't stand up and if we don't try to stop what's happening, we are going to lose our freedom and our country as we know and love it."

Scott Bixler, 48, agreed, saying that the protests are not a partisan issue.

"We all can relate to taxes and we don't like them so high," he said.

Andrews said he was pleased to see so many of his fellow citizens speaking out on what they believe in.

"This is a tremendous exercise of the American people, exercising their Constitutional rights," he said. "Every single person matters and can make a difference."