Opponents of government spending took to the streets in southwestern Connecticut and across the country Wednesday, staging tax day tea parties.

Nearly 100 people gathered outside Greenwich Town Hall to rally against taxation.

Organizers in Greenwich say the tea stands for Taxed Enough Already. They are arguing for fiscal responsibility and say they are tired of big government.

"The message is we need to stop the reckless spending," says Don Beach, of Fairfield. "I think it's unfortunate we're taking this time to push through a lot of social programs, which may or may not have good intentions and benefit people."

Some 2,000 similar events, patterned after the 1773 Boston Tea Party, were held across the country at the same time as thousands of last-minute income tax filers rushed to meet the federal and state deadlines.

Police in Hartford estimate 3,000 people showed up at a T.E.A. rally at the Connecticut Capitol Wednesday morning.