HARTride 2012
February 29th, 2008, 02:47 PM
Protestors gather outside congresswoman's office
Thursday, February 28, 2008
HERNANADO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite was the focus of a protest that took place Thursday in Brooksville.
About 60 protesters from the Puerto Rican community marched down Main Street in Brooksville. They gathered outside of Rep. Brown-Waite's office at the Hernando County courthouse to voice their concerns.
"We've learned that we have to get involved to make things turn around, and this is just the beginning," protester Samuel Lopez said.
The problem started with a press release sent out a month ago by Congresswoman Brown-Waite in response to President Bush's economic stimulus plan. In the release she said she did not believe American taxpayer funds should be sent to foreign citizens who do not pay taxes.
She also said those foreign citizens include residents of Puerto Rico. Residents of Puerto Rico were granted their citizenship in 1917.
"That's all I need," protester Rico Piccard said. "An apology and then we'd be okay."
"Right now the population of Puerto Ricans in the state just in the I-4 corridor is over 680,000, so we're going to mobilize that community and we're going to effect the election," Lopez said.
Most of the people who showed up to protest were from the Orlando area, but there were a handful of demonstrators from Hernando County.
"I feel bad for my father," protester Hector Torres said. "He was from the island. He came to the United States when he was 14 years old and worked his butt off until he retired."
Congresswoman Brown-Waite said the word foreign, to describe the tax status of people living in the American possessions, was entirely accurate. Protestors said more demonstrations are planned.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/2/28/328538.html?title=Protestors+gather+outside+congresswoman's+office
Thursday, February 28, 2008
HERNANADO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite was the focus of a protest that took place Thursday in Brooksville.
About 60 protesters from the Puerto Rican community marched down Main Street in Brooksville. They gathered outside of Rep. Brown-Waite's office at the Hernando County courthouse to voice their concerns.
"We've learned that we have to get involved to make things turn around, and this is just the beginning," protester Samuel Lopez said.
The problem started with a press release sent out a month ago by Congresswoman Brown-Waite in response to President Bush's economic stimulus plan. In the release she said she did not believe American taxpayer funds should be sent to foreign citizens who do not pay taxes.
She also said those foreign citizens include residents of Puerto Rico. Residents of Puerto Rico were granted their citizenship in 1917.
"That's all I need," protester Rico Piccard said. "An apology and then we'd be okay."
"Right now the population of Puerto Ricans in the state just in the I-4 corridor is over 680,000, so we're going to mobilize that community and we're going to effect the election," Lopez said.
Most of the people who showed up to protest were from the Orlando area, but there were a handful of demonstrators from Hernando County.
"I feel bad for my father," protester Hector Torres said. "He was from the island. He came to the United States when he was 14 years old and worked his butt off until he retired."
Congresswoman Brown-Waite said the word foreign, to describe the tax status of people living in the American possessions, was entirely accurate. Protestors said more demonstrations are planned.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/2/28/328538.html?title=Protestors+gather+outside+congresswoman's+office