No U.S. territory (what we call colonies in the good ol' USofA) has to pay federal tax. Why should D.C. residents have to?
No Representation? Then No Taxation
Sunday, March 25, 2007; B06
Since the District began its license-plate lobbying in 2000, "Taxation Without Representation" has become a compelling cry for adding a voting seat for the city in the House of Representatives [front page, March 16]. But with the Senate poised to block the measure even if the House approves it, perhaps the time has come to focus less on the second part of the motto and more on the first.
The compelling argument favoring a voting seat in the House harks to the sloganeering of the American Revolution. But opponents have an equally patriotic truncheon: the Constitution, which limits House voting rights to representatives from states. The politically palatable compromise might be to remove the taxation instead of adding representation. To wit, Congress should abolish the federal income tax for District residents.
Such a measure should have bipartisan support, since District residents overwhelmingly vote Democratic and Republicans generally favor tax cuts.
ERIC WANG
McLean
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