Thousands of taxpayers protested proposed tax hikes on the Legislative Building steps this morning, promising a reckoning in November if lawmakers and Gov. Chris Gregoire move ahead with the ideas.

“The powers that be have miscalculated the power of our numbers,” said Patrick Connor, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, which lobbies on behalf of small businesses, “and one by one, we will take back the people’s legislature.”

The crowd overflowed the steps. A Washington State Patrol trooper estimated it at 3,000, which sounds about right from my very rough headcount.

Speakers told participants to go talk to their legislators. “I want them to tremble when they see the people saying ‘No,’” said Kirby Wilbur, speaking on behalf of small-government advocacy group Americans for Prosperity.

The crowd chanted “liar,” after talk radio host Dori Monson quoted Gregoire saying tough economic times aren’t the time for leaders to raise taxes. Monson agreed with their sentiment: “Christine Gregoire is a liar.”

“Don’t tell me, Madam Governor, that you have cut to the bone,” Monson said, “because everybody here can see there’s a lot of fat still hanging off that bone.”

Now I’m headed over to see what the opposing rally has to say.  Connor took a swipe at the pro-tax rally, calling it “a counter-demonstration organized by the powers of state government and their supplicants.” I’m guessing they will offer a different description of why they’re here.