What was tax rate when colonies seceded from Britain?

In his testimony to the Parliament in Feb. 1766, Ben Franklin estimated the tax rate in Colonial Pennsylvania at 12.5%. But as he was arguing that Americans already paid their fair share of taxes, he had every reason to exaggerate. (By comparison, the British tax rate at that time was about 20%; In 2006, the tax rate in the U.S. was 17%., and in Britain 26%). So the revolution saved us about 9% in taxes (but of course we have to pay that out in private health insurance!).