Hundreds gather for Palm Springs Tax Day Rally

On a day typically known as a deadline to file taxes, hundreds filed into the parking lot behind the IRS building in Palm Springs Saturday for a rally.

Organizers said the purpose was to call on President Donald Trump to release his tax returns.

“He’s the first president in 40 years that hasn’t released his tax returns, whether Democrat or Republican,” rally organizer Joy Silver with Courageous Resistance said. “And he has told us that he was going to release his tax returns.”

“We don’t know what is in his taxes [and] what he has in his financial portfolio,” Chris Carreher said, traveling from just outside of Twentynine Palms to the rally.

Other concerns residents spoke about included opposing President Trump’s tax plan.

“I think his job of bringing a new tax structure really hinges on the public medical programs that are available or not available,” Rancho Mirage resident Bob Mueller said. “Until he squares that away, I think the job of creating a new tax structure is going to be an uphill battle.”

Overall, organizers and residents said they and others across the country will continue to rally, filing their message, and making sure it’s heard.

“We’re going to stand up for ourselves, silence equal’s death, because we learned that long ago, and we’re going to keep on talking and letting people know what we need and how we need it in as loud of a voice as we possibly can,” Silver said.

Organizers said the Palm Springs rally is one of more than 100 events planned across the United States, and was held in conjunction with National Tax March.