About The Project
For several years, DC Appleseed was counsel in a case challenging the constitutionality of a provision in the District of Columbia's Home Rule Charter (passed as an act of Congress) that prohibits the District from collecting income taxes from those who work and earn income in D.C. but do not live here. DC Appleseed represented the District of Columbia in the suit, and during the litigation received pro bono assistance from lawyers at Howrey, LLP; Gilbert Heintz & Randolph, LLP; White & Case, LLP; and Reed Smith, LLP. Together, we filed a complaint in the federal District Court for the District of Columbia. That complaint was dismissed, and we filed an appeal and argued in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where we were, again, unsuccessful. The suit met its end when our petition for a writ of certiorari was denied by the Supreme Court. At all levels of appeal, we also worked with Arent Fox, LLP, who wrote amicus briefs in support of our efforts that several important civic groups signed on to. DC Appleseed has now shifted the focus of our project to finding legislative solutions to the massive "structural deficit" that the non-resident income tax prohibition contributes to. We are partnering with Our Nation's Capital in this effort. Additional pro bono assistance has been provided by Edelman Public Relations.
