End Taxation Without Representation for DC

By Norah Lesperance

For years, Washington, DC residents have watched other Americans reap the benefits of statehood without getting it themselves. The debate over whether or not to grant statehood to the District of Columbia and therefore grant its citizens congressional votes is lengthy, and it trickles down to interpretation of the Constitution and yet another scuffle between Democrats and Republicans.

DC has over 702,000 residents. That’s a higher population than both Vermont and Wyoming. The only difference? Vermont and Wyoming each have one person to communicate their needs in the House of Representatives, and this person can cast a vote for or against bills proposed in Congress. The one delegate for DC, although elected by their constituents, has no voting rights. To make matters worse, both Vermont and Wyoming have their two allotted senators for additional (and always equal) representation in the Senate as mandated by the Constitution, yet DC residents do not have any senators to speak or vote on their behalf. Therefore, DC has an overall minimal say in decisions made on Capitol Hill.

Not only do DC residents express disdain for their lack of voting members in Congress, they also boast “No Taxation Without Representation” license plates to reflect the fact that they pay the highest per capita federal income taxes in the US and pay more total taxes than residents of 22 states.

Lifelong DC resident Jenna Umansky’s stance on statehood is as simple as the aforementioned license plate states: representation is key. “Most Americans... aren’t even aware that this is an issue for us,” Umansky said, “since we have no power, no vote, Congress doesn’t care so they have no reason to act.” DC is simply a college campus for some and a destination of high school field trips for others, even those who live as close as Maryland and Virginia are unaware of the fight for statehood.

DC residents like Umansky are the exact same as every other person in this country. Yet they are underrepresented in our government despite paying federal taxes just as other Americans do. One way in which this can be remedied by a redefinition of our country’s federal district, which the Constitution explains can be a maximum of “ten miles square,” with no minimum size given. Congress has the power to shrink the area of the district to include only unpopulated areas including the White House, the Capitol, major monuments, the National Mall, museums, the Supreme Court, and some office buildings. Residents have already committed to put together all of the needed requirements to satisfy the Tennessee Plan, which was used to bring multiple new states into the Union. This includes residents affirming the desire to become a state, (86% of voters supported the Washington, DC Admission Act), ratifying a State Constitution, establishing state boundaries, and committing to a republican form of government that is representative with elected officials. All DC needs is the support of the federal government, and statehood is completely possible.

DC statehood is highly unlikely to occur under any sort of Republican congressional majority despite overwhelming proof that the over 702,000 residents favor it, but some Americans care too much about the potential for DC to have voting delegates in Congress. Due to their unwaveringly Democratic Party-aligned population, DC’s voting representatives would bring more blue votes to Congress. This obviously rules out mass Republican support for their statehood due to the very nature of political parties as groups that constantly vie for their federal power over others and the polarization of our modern nation.

All Umansky wants is full voting rights for DC regardless of whether or not her home is granted statehood. “There are two ways to solve this dilemma,” she explains, “either no longer require us to pay federal taxes but allow us to continue to receive the federal benefits we do receive, or give us the same rights as all other citizens who live in a state.” She does not care if either of these scenarios occur through statehood or another method, like designating DC residential areas as a commonwealth, explaining that “[she] just [wants] the same rights as other Americans who pay federal taxes.”