Las Vegas woman promotes Tea Party protest

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 | 9:43 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The 229th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party is next Monday, and a Las Vegas woman is promoting a tax protest, urging citizens to send a tea bag to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Patricia Saye, an Independent American Party candidate for Assembly District 41 in the last election, said Monday the drive is "something fun to see if it works."

She said there could be two to 2,000 tax protesters who join her in mailing the tea bag and a note saying, "I am mad as hell and not going to take it any more. I am taxed by taxes."

Greg Bortolin, press secretary for Guinn, said "They have a right to be heard."

"I would ask them to read the report of the Task Tax Force that outlines the needs of the state before they send their tea bags," he added.

Guinn has said he will urge the Legislature to raise taxes to cure an estimated $800 million shortfall in revenues. Saye said Guinn "may have a lot of tea to drink" after the protest.

She said Guinn was not re-elected to raise taxes.

Saye said she has been in the news before for burning the flag of the United Nations and fighting the city of Las Vegas when it sought to impose a $60 permit fee to burn the flag in a public place. She said they tried for three years to collect the $60 and finally gave up.