Commute Taxes Avoided

Washington D.C. commuters will not have to pay taxes despite Mayor's efforts.

1 minute read

March 15, 2004, 7:00 AM PST

By Adam Weiss


After Mayor Anthony A. Williams claimed "the congressional ban [on commuter taxes], which dates to 1974, [was] unconstitutional and that D.C. residents [were] unfairly forced to pay higher taxes to support the infrastructure used by commuters," the case was dismissed by a federal judge, explaining that "such a decision is up to Congress...The mayor and his chief financial officer have argued that the city's inability to tax an estimated 300,000 commuters who use District streets and services every day -- combined with the city's inability to tax large tracts of federal property -- creates a financial imbalance that D.C. residents cannot continue to shoulder."

Thanks to Adam Weiss

Friday, March 12, 2004 in The Washington Post

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