Quackery In Vermont: Protesters Demand To Pay More Taxes; Update: Democrats Agree, Increase Taxes on Tax Day!

What do you expect from a state that sends a kook like socialist Bernie Sanders to the Senate? While taxpayers across the nation attend tea parties today protesting onerous taxation and creeping socialism, some nutcases in Vermont came out to call for higher taxes.

Protesters nationwide demanded lower taxes on Wednesday. A group in Vermont can't get enough of them.

Calling itself S.O.S., or Save Our State, the group held a small pro-tax protest in Montpelier, the national income tax-filing deadline, to drive home that taxes pay for needed programs and state employees perform necessary duties.

About two dozen people crowded [two dozen people is a crowd? --ed.] around the state Tax Department's help window while organizers turned in single-signature petitions, designed to look like a tax form, that organizers called SOS-EZ forms.

They list 17 state programs that could be kept whole with what organizers say would be a modest tax increase.

"It's not just a day to worry about taxes; we value our institutions and the programs the state offers," said S.O.S. organizer Chris Curtis, an attorney with Vermont Legal Aid. "We can't pave our own roads. We can't keep our own courthouse doors open. It's frustrating that some days of the week the courts are closed."

The protest came as thousands of demonstrators gathered nationwide for anti-tax rallies modeled on the original Boston Tea Party.

Dennise Casey, a spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, said he remained steadfast in his opposition to new taxes, but that taxpayers have the option to give the state more than legally required.

"I am assuming that all of these individuals who are advocating for paying more taxes have led by example by paying more taxes today," Casey said. "As for struggling Vermont families, the governor is opposed to higher taxes."

No, they don't want to pay more. They want the rest of us to.

Just watch. Some networks tonight will probably give this crowd of two dozen people as much airtime as the hundreds of thousands that turned out for tea parties.

Ace links. Thanks!

Update: Here's a local angle. Believe it or not they chose today to increase taxes.

"We're not suggesting that we willy-nilly raise taxes but to do it in smart way that spreads out the burden," said Lindsey Hescock of Middlebury.

"We need to have taxes to have the services and the infrastructure important to all of us," said Shelia Reed, of Voices for Vt. Children.

Democratic lawmakers agree, and on Tax Day they supported a $24 million income tax hike.

"I don't think anybody likes to pay taxes, I'm not wild about paying taxes, but I understand it's an obligation of citizenship and I get a lot for the taxes I pay," said Rep. Janet Ancel, D-Calais.

Unreal.