4158310 Resolution 20-19, “Sense of the Council on Displaying the Phrase ‘Taxation Without Representation’ on the Presidential Limousine’s License Plates Emergency Resolution of 2013”

A RESOLUTION

           

20-19  

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

January 8, 2013

 

 

To declare, on an emergency basis, the sense of the Council that President Obama should display the phrase “Taxation Without Representation” on the license plates of the Presidential limousine.

 

            RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Sense of the Council on Displaying the Phrase ‘Taxation Without Representation’ on the Presidential Limousine’s License Plates Emergency Resolution of 2013”.

 

            Sec. 2.  The Council finds that:

(1) District residents pay approximately $4 billion in federal taxes each year, yet have no voting representation in Congress.

                        (2) In 2000, the District, under the leadership of then-Council Chairman Linda Cropp, added the phrase “Taxation Without Representation” to official, standard District of Columbia motor vehicle license plates.

                        (3) President Bill Clinton displayed these official license plates, including the phrase “Taxation Without Representation” on his limousine.

                        (4) President George W. Bush replaced these official license plates with an alternate design that omits the phrase “Taxation Without Representation.”  President Barack Obama has continued that practice, and his limousine’s license plates omit this phrase.

                        (5) Just a few weeks ago, DC Vote created a petition on the White House’s website asking President Obama to display the phrase “Taxation Without Representation” on his Presidential limousine’s license plates.  Already more than 22,000 people have signed the petition.

                        (6) Over 600,000 people live in the District.  The District’s population is larger than that of Wyoming and Vermont, which have full representation in Congress.

                        (7) District residents pay the highest per capita federal income taxes in the country, fight in America’s wars, and serve on its juries, yet they have no voting representation in Congress.

                        (8) The District has 120 vibrant neighborhoods, each with its own rich, distinct cultural heritage.

                        (9) The District is the only capital of a democratic country in the world that has no voting representation in its national legislature.

                        (10) Polls show that the majority of Americans are not aware that District residents lack voting representation in Congress.

                        (11) Displaying the phrase, “Taxation Without Representation,” is a singularly effective way of informing our fellow citizens of how fundamentally unfair and undemocratic it is that District residents do not have a representative in Congress who can vote.

 

            Sec. 3. It is the sense of the Council that President Obama should display official District license plates bearing the phrase “Taxation Without Representation” on the Presidential limousine. 

 

            Sec. 4. Transmittal.

The Secretary shall transmit a copy of this resolution, upon its adoption, to the President of the United States.

 

Sec. 5. Effective date.

This resolution shall take effect immediately.