They have spent millions of dollars lobbying Congress. They have erected in front of the John A. Wilson Building on Pennsylvania Avenue a God-awful electronic sign, which regularly displays the amount of money District residents have paid in federal taxes (with no mention of the money that city residents receive from federal taxpayers.)
This week, they fought each other publicly over whether the D.C. Council’s proposed amendment to the city’s Home Rule Charter giving officials the right to spend local tax revenues without Congress’ approval could appear on the ballot for the April 2013 special election. Attorney General Irvin Nathan said the measure was illegal. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said the legislature had the right to place the issue before voters. The Board of Elections agreed.
