Washington, DC - Next State?

[noblepa]

I just had a thought.

Since DC has a very high number of federally owned buildings, which pay no property tax, Congress always includes in the national budget, a payment (not sure what they call it) to DC to replace the revenue that any other city would have from all that property.

If DC were to become a state, and I think we all pretty much agree it would be a very deep red state, might the R's try to cut off that subsidy, arguing that no other state receives such payments?

[AndyinPA]

I like that.

[realist]

I just had a thought.

Since DC has a very high number of federally owned buildings, which pay no property tax, Congress always includes in the national budget, a payment (not sure what they call it) to DC to replace the revenue that any other city would have from all that property.

If DC were to become a state, and I think we all pretty much agree it would be a very deep red state, might the R's try to cut off that subsidy, arguing that no other state receives such payments?

Which is only one of the many problems I can envision with a state which is also the center of government of the U.S.

[AndyinPA]

I think you mean very deep blue state.

Don't mind me. I just called the Blue Ridge Parkway the Blue Ridge Highway last night.

[sterngard friegen]

As a constitutional matter there has to be a national capital not a part of any state. But the work around that problem is to make the National Capitol and related contiguous land and buildings, including the White House, Supreme Court building, etc., the Capital. The rest of the former District will become the State of [insert favorite name]. And the new state can and should have more than one city. Georgetown should be one of them. Washington can be another. And Jefferson a third.

[noblepa]

As a constitutional matter there has to be a national capital not a part of any state. But the work around that problem is to make the National Capitol and related contiguous land and buildings, including the White House, Supreme Court building, etc., the Capital. The rest of the former District will become the State of [insert favorite name]. And the new state can and should have more than one city. Georgetown should be one of them. Washington can be another. And Jefferson a third.

That certainly has always been the case, and the Constitution does specify a capital city (Article I, Section 8 "To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States").

To me, there seems to be a little wiggle room there. Is it an absolute requirement that the capitol not be part of a state? That is why I questioned earlier whether DC statehood would require an amendment.

[sterngard friegen]

The national capital (note the spelling) would just be made smaller if a state were recognized as being the balance of the former capital. I don't think a constitutional amendment is required.

[filly]

The national capital (note the spelling) would just be made smaller if a state were recognized as being the balance of the former capital. I don't think a constitutional amendment is required.

Enter Steve Vladek, law prof at UT:



The thread is 10 tweets long. I suggest anyone without con. law/legal creds read the entire thread.

[AndyinPA]

“Jefferson (proposed Pacific state)”:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson ... fic_state)

“The State of Jefferson is a proposed U.S. state that would span the contiguous, mostly rural area of southern Oregon and northern California, where several attempts to separate from Oregon and California, respectively, have taken place.”

The poots have already claimed that one.

That's right. Now I'll have to figure out what the one somewhere around Missouri was.

I looked. Apparently, there were dozens of failed states, so no luck finding the specific one I was thinking of. I didn't remember how convoluted it all was.

[noblepa]

Interesting article on MSN.COM regarding statehood for DC.

Ann Coulter thinks that the Constitution expressly forbids DC from becoming a state. A couple of lawyers argue that she's wrong.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... -ntp-feeds

[bob]

In 2020, a three-judge panel rejected the argument that D.C.'s lack of representation in Congress was unconstitutional.

Today, SCOTUS granted a motion to dismiss/affirm.