Local
D.C. Voting Rights Act foe offers alternative
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
February 13, 2009
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One measure offered by Rep. Louie Gohmert would exclude D.C. residents from having to pay federal income tax on income earned in the city until they are given full voting representation. The other would draw a line around all federal buildings in the nation’s capital and cede the rest of the land back to Maryland “upon Maryland’s acceptance.”
“This solution keeps with the early history and democratic traditions of the United States as well as the principles established in the Constitution,” Gohmert said in a statement. “While we address D.C.'s unfair taxation, we should continue to seek Constitutional solutions to the District's lack of voting representation.”
Retrocession isn’t viable and a federal income tax exemption “isn’t the solution,” said Jaline Quinto, spokeswoman for D.C. Vote.
“That still doesn’t give D.C. residents a seat at the table of democracy,” she said.
Gohmert, like many of his Republican colleagues, is a vehement opponent of the D.C. Voting Rights Act currently making its way through the House and Senate. That bill, backed by congressional Democratic leadership and President Obama, would expand the House by two seats, one for D.C. and the other for Utah.
It is only fitting and just, Gohmert said, “that D.C. residents should be treated as other Americans who have a delegate but no Representative — they either have congressional representation with full voting rights, which requires a Constitutional amendment if the District remains as is, or they should be exempted from paying federal income tax.
