DC Statehood Tax Implications

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why break a good thing? I'm a DC native and don't get the clamoring for statehood besides "it's fashionable"

+1

Today's statehood argument is largely being pushed by white and wealthy liberal transplants, whose gentrification ironically pushed tens of thousands poor people (most of whom are people of color) out of the District and into states with Congressional representation.

Uh, no, this has been pushed by Washingtonians for decades. So Eleanor Holmes Norton is a wealthy White Liberal? She has dedicated her life to this cause.

[Anonymous]

One thing though DC will never be a state.

You may proceed.

[Anonymous]

I'm a DC native and very pro-statehood, but a lot of my fellow pro-staters are missing some important cost context.

Yes, the variable federal payment stopped in the 90s, but as part of the bargain, the feds assumed the entire cost of the DC Courts and housing DC prisoners. (They've long picked up the tab of all prosecution and public defense in DC.) Not saying it's a reason to give up statehood, but paying for the courts, prosecutors, defenders, and prisoners will take a chunk of change.

To do some basic back of the envelope math, the DC Courts budget is $350mil; there are about 6,000 DC prisoners in federal jails @ $37k a person annually, so $222mil; the DC public defender service costs a little over $42mil, the USAO doesn't publish separate budget figures, but the DC's AG's office does, so let's assume it would have to triple in size to handle all felonies in the district, at an additional cost of $200mil. Grand total: $815 mil, or about a 1% of the $8.6 bil portion of DC's budget. That's not massive but it's not nothing. (Still not a good reason to deny DC residents meaningful voting rights and sovereignty.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a DC native and very pro-statehood, but a lot of my fellow pro-staters are missing some important cost context.

Yes, the variable federal payment stopped in the 90s, but as part of the bargain, the feds assumed the entire cost of the DC Courts and housing DC prisoners. (They've long picked up the tab of all prosecution and public defense in DC.) Not saying it's a reason to give up statehood, but paying for the courts, prosecutors, defenders, and prisoners will take a chunk of change.

To do some basic back of the envelope math, the DC Courts budget is $350mil; there are about 6,000 DC prisoners in federal jails @ $37k a person annually, so $222mil; the DC public defender service costs a little over $42mil, the USAO doesn't publish separate budget figures, but the DC's AG's office does, so let's assume it would have to triple in size to handle all felonies in the district, at an additional cost of $200mil. Grand total: $815 mil, or about a 1% of the $8.6 bil portion of DC's budget. That's not massive but it's not nothing. (Still not a good reason to deny DC residents meaningful voting rights and sovereignty.)

Should say "1% of the $8.6 bil local portion of DC's budget"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a DC native and very pro-statehood, but a lot of my fellow pro-staters are missing some important cost context.

Yes, the variable federal payment stopped in the 90s, but as part of the bargain, the feds assumed the entire cost of the DC Courts and housing DC prisoners. (They've long picked up the tab of all prosecution and public defense in DC.) Not saying it's a reason to give up statehood, but paying for the courts, prosecutors, defenders, and prisoners will take a chunk of change.

To do some basic back of the envelope math, the DC Courts budget is $350mil; there are about 6,000 DC prisoners in federal jails @ $37k a person annually, so $222mil; the DC public defender service costs a little over $42mil, the USAO doesn't publish separate budget figures, but the DC's AG's office does, so let's assume it would have to triple in size to handle all felonies in the district, at an additional cost of $200mil. Grand total: $815 mil, or about a 1% of the $8.6 bil portion of DC's budget. That's not massive but it's not nothing. (Still not a good reason to deny DC residents meaningful voting rights and sovereignty.)

That's a small price tonpay for being able to prosecute our own criminal offenses.

How much dod we get shortchanged in the Covid bills? Now that the GOP has broken the seal and given us only 3/5ths do we really think they aren't gonna do it on the regular from now on?

[Anonymous]

Do you people math much?

$800M is 10% of $8B.

Don’t forget to add in pay for ANC and expanded council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you people math much?

$800M is 10% of $8B.

Don’t forget to add in pay for ANC and expanded council.

Which might actually improve government functioning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you people math much?

$800M is 10% of $8B.

Don’t forget to add in pay for ANC and expanded council.

why would the council expand and why would you start paying for the anc? they are volunteers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing though DC will never be a state.

You may proceed.

+1 This whole statehood argument is getting exhausting.