Exercising Civil Disobedience While Paying Property Taxes

July and August is the time when vehicle property tax comes due in all 169 Connecticut municipalities. As if the property tax Connecticut residents pay on their real estate is not enough, like many states, Connecticut residents are also taxed on all registered motor vehicles including cars, trucks, campers, boats, and even trailers.

This summer, the tax payers here at Liberty Alert (i.e. me) used the opportunity to let the town of Bristol, CT know what we really think of their tax collection. See the attached picture. Each tax bill was separately mailed with a special label for the tax collector on each envelope.

Now, I fully understand that the tax collector does not determine the tax rate or tax system. However, this small act of civil disobedience was done not just for the benefit of the tax collector. Those envelopes will be seen by multiple post office employees, and likely some town hall staffers on the way to the tax collector. The envelopes may even draw enough attention to get the mayor or some council members in the act. The point is, this small act of rebellion could get noticed, and help encourage some civil disobedience in others. Is it a bit childish? Perhaps. But, in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, a little civil disobedience is a good thing. Humor and satire can be a strong tool to get your point across. I look at it more like playing a prank on a good friend. You like the friend, but it's fun to see them go through a little harmless suffering. Don't let the government off the hook. It's ok to give the government a hard time once in a while. The government is not above being harmlessly punked. Remember, the government should fear the people, not the other way around!

Incidentally, Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau is an American classic that I highly recommend. The essay inspired such leaders as Martin Luther King and Gandhi. It is a quick read, and can likely be found at any local library. It's a must read. Look for a future book review of Civil Disobedience on Liberty Alert.