City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: APRIL 21, 2021
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Support District of Columbia Statehood. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: The District of Columbia has satisfied the four requirements to become a state: residents affirmed their desire to become a state; ratified a constitution; established new state boundaries; and committed to a republican form of government.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council adopt the attached Resolution to support District of Columbia Statehood.
BACKGROUND: The United States is the formal union of states formed by their people and to have the full rights of self-government, one must be a citizen of a state. The people of the District of Columbia bear all the burdens of citizenship, but do not enjoy all of the citizenship’s benefits and remain in many ways a colony. The District of Columbia is home to over 712,000 residents, which is more than the states of Wyoming and Vermont. District residents pay the highest federal income tax per capita when compared to residents in any of the 50 states. Congress has the power under Article IV, Section 3 of the United States Constitution to admit the residential and commercial areas of the District of Columbia, minus the National Capital Service Area which would henceforth be the Seat of the Government of the United States, as the 51st State of the Union. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) adopted a resolution on April 14, 2021 supporting DC Statehood, and has encouraged jurisdictional members of COG to speak out in support.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Resolution
2. Adopted COG Resolution
STAFF:
Debra Collins, Deputy City Manager