By Samuel Strait, Reporter at Large – March 25, 2021 – picture credit to history.com I suspect that men like Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and William Molineux would be appalled by what is happening in this country today. Don't know who they are? On December 16. 1773, these three men and about sixty others moved from a meeting protesting a three shilling tax on tea, to the Griffin's wharf. to then board three ships in the Boston Harbor in what is now known as the Boston Tea Party. Over the course of three hours, nearly 45 tons of tea chests were broken open and dumped into the harbor's waters thus beginning what would eventually become the start of the American Revolution. "Taxation without representation" would be the rallying cry of American Patriots that led ultimately to the Lexington Green, the commencement of hostilities, and the shot heard around the world. Taxation has always been a bone of contention, particularly when it is done without dissent, or by the minority. It is even more egregious when the dissent is nearly as great as the approval. Our founding fathers recognized this fact when formulating our governing documents and attempted to insure any tax measure going forward would be favored by more than a simple majority. How far we have come from that simple maxim. Men like Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and William Molineux would be organizing "tea parties" without end in many of today's states where a tax burden is placed by citizens of the fifty percent plus one variety on their fellow citizens. They would be outraged by governments in this country who initiate calls for increased taxes simply to expand government. We, as a people should have long ago learned the lessons of history that more tax supported government does not necessarily mean a better life for the country's citizenry. Something that the "Tea Party" participants meant as a lesson for all oppressive governments the world over. Yet, here we are in 2021, in a small rural community where a bare simple majority has burdened the entire county with a 1% addition to the already excessive sales tax by a mere handful of votes. If the money to be collected was for absolutely necessary services it would not only have garnered a greater approval by the voters, but be seen as something essential to the community's survival. But, no, it will more than likely be used to inflate salaries, hire more bureaucrats, and generally be wasted on non essential government glad handing, parties and travel. The participants of the original "Tea Party" meant their activity to be a message to King George and the British Parliament that taxes that did not serve the interests of those taxed were to be opposed. Over the course of the following year and a half British parliament and the King were to learn just what that meant. Continued resistance to British attempts to bring the colonies to heel resulted in the American Revolution. Hopefully in this county, opposition to the recent increase in sales tax will simply mean putting it to the test on a more equal playing field where County government doesn't put their "thumb on the scale".