Republicans Stage Anti-Tax Rally : Politics: About 50 of the party faithful, including several June primary candidates, hold protest at O.C. post office.

What better day to express outrage against all taxes than on April 15, the deadline to mail federal and state income tax returns?

And so for a while on Friday, local Republicans forgot that Gov. Pete Wilson had supported state tax increases in recent years and aimed their anger at President Clinton and his fellow Democrats.

About 50 Republicans--about 10 of them candidates in the June 7 primary--lined Sunflower Avenue in front of the Santa Ana Main Post Office and rallied against tax increases.

“Do you want lower taxes? Vote Republican,” was one of the placards waved at motorists lining up to deposit their tax returns at the post office.

Costa Mesa resident Jacquelyn Thomas, 66, held a sign that read: “Empty promises, empty wallets, empty future.”

The retired school librarian said the protest would serve as a warning to voters to study the backgrounds of candidates and their political promises before electing them to office.

“I have paid more taxes this year than I ever paid, and we are not earning any more money, and I am dumbfounded,” Thomas said.

A similar protest was registered by Santa Ana resident Barbara Bricken, 30, who said she lost her job last year.

“I am single and I paid a good portion of my income toward taxes this year,” Bricken said. “I have been unemployed and I still had to pay more when it was all said and done.”

The rally also served as a forum for Republican candidates--particularly in the 70th Assembly District race, where the three contenders are trying to outdo each other on the issue of fiscal conservativism.

“I am the candidate that paid the most taxes. . . . I am the only candidate in the campaign that owns a business,” candidate Marilyn Brewer said.

Irvine City Councilman Barry J. Hammond, the second candidate in what is one of Orange County’s hottest primary battles, toed the party line.

“Hopefully, these people will remember in November that the Republicans are the ones that wanted to reduce taxes and reduce spending,” Hammond said.

The third candidate, attorney Thomas G. Reinecke, helped organize the second annual anti-tax rally.

“A lot of these people are mad as hell,” Reinecke said. “They would not have voted for Clinton if they knew they were going to be paying more taxes.”