Wednesday, April 15, 2009

BHS grad leading Tea Party Tax rally

Brent Ruffner News-Bulletin Staff Writer; bruffner@news-bulletin.com

Albuquerque Tax day isn't usually something that brings out the best in people.

Belen native Charlotte Salazar is looking to change that.

Salazar has organized the Albuquerque Tea Party Tax Day Rally, an event geared to voice concerns about the government's recent spending habits.

The event, which will be held at the Independence Grill on Montgomery Blvd., from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, is part of a national grassroots effort to make lawmakers aware that people nationwide oppose elements of issues ranging from the stimulus package to the nation's budget. A $787 billion stimulus package was signed by President

Obama in February.

"This is about people standing up and saying, 'We have had enough,'" Salazar said, who expects 2,000 people at the event. "There has been a lot of wasteful spending. (The event) is a people thing, not a platform thing."

Salazar, who graduated from Belen High School in 1997, is the daughter of Raymond and Therese Salazar of Belen and holds both a bachelor's and master's degree from New Mexico Tech.

She said she organized the event after hearing about the national effort. Fourteen similar events are planned across the state, according to Salazar.

"This is peaceful and nonpartisan," Salazar said. "A lot of the general public doesn't agree with what the government is doing."

The Belen native said the government is capitalizing on people in a struggling economy and said she disagrees with the stimulus package because it's "blown out of proportion."

"The worst thing that you could do is take advantage of people who are hurting," Salazar said. "We are telling our elected officials that we aren't going to put up with them spending our hard-earned money."

Some Valencia County residents agree.

Carl Fox, owner of Cross Country Propane and Supply, plans on attending the event and said he's seen a 30 percent drop in business with the economy's current state.

"We have to stand up and do what is right," Fox said. "We can't spend our way out of a recession."

Fox, a Los Lunas resident, said he likes that the event is nonpartisan and hopes it can make a positive impact.

"I hope it helps," Sox said. "It's a lot better than sitting on our butts and not doing anything about it."

Los Lunas resident Paul Lopez said the rally can garner some attention from politicians with a big turnout.

"I don't think politicians pay attention without a large number of people," Lopez said. "That is sad. But I think this might turn some heads."

Salazar insists she is not in the running for a future career in politics. She said she is a stay-at-home mother and is also on a tight budget.

"You stretch to feed your family," Salazar said. "Isn't that what the American Dream is all about? You work so you can get where you want to be. That isn't happening in Washington."

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