Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Fairfax opposes statehood Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 15:07:56 EST Message-ID: \SE A \HD Fairfax opposes statehood \SH D.C. plan to tax commuters cited \BY Jim Clardy and Lorraine Woellert \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors yesterday voted to oppose statehood for the District and threatened to recruit D.C. businesses and federal government agencies if the city passes a commuter tax. The vote, which split along party lines, was one of several skirmishes over statehood yesterday as District and suburban Washington leaders braced for a fresh round of fighting during the incoming Democratic administration. President-elect Bill Clinton has said he would sign legislation making the District the 51st state, giving new urgency to the long-running battle. The Fairfax supervisors' vote was the strongest position to date that the county has taken against D.C. statehood, although most Northern Virginia officials are on the record in opposition to the commuter tax District leaders say they would impose after statehood. Republicans on the board supported the resolution, while Democrats called it "inflammatory." "I'm disappointed that, for political reasons, some of my colleagues didn't vote for their constituents," said Supervisor Ernest J. Berger, a Dranesville Republican who made the motion, adding that about 35 percent of Fairfax County workers commute into the District. "I don't think this kind of motion helps us at all to work regionally with other districts," said Supervisor Gerald W. Hyland, Mount Vernon Democrat. "It's not appropriate." The resolution calls on local congressmen and senators "to do everything under their power to defeat D.C. statehood" and says that if a commuter tax is enacted, the county Economic Development Authority should begin recruiting businesses to Fairfax County, where "the cost of doing business for the businesses and the employees will be less." The vote was taken hours after GOP gubernatorial candidate Earle C. Williams denounced D.C. statehood and called upon Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder to work with other governors to defeat the initiative. Flanked by several Republican supervisors, Mr. Williams called on Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, the likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate, to prepare to challenge the constitutionality of a congressional act granting D.C. statehood. Meanwhile, the Rev. Jesse Jackson yesterday disputed an assertion by Sen. Don Nickles, Oklahoma Republican, that statehood legislation would require a constitutional amendment, a lengthy process that requires ratification by at least 35 state legislatures. District leaders maintain that such legislation would require only a majority vote in Congress. Mr. Jackson also attacked as "provocative rhetoric" Mr. Nickles' off-the-cuff proposal that the District be returned to Maryland rather than granted statehood. Mr. Jackson, a D.C. shadow senator who was elected to lobby Congress for statehood, compared Mr. Nickles' suggestion, to "occupying forces trying to impose their will on the District." Mr. Nickles said last week that he may propose alternative legislation returning the District - minus the federal buildings - to Maryland, which ceded land 200 years ago to create Washington. A spokesman for Mr. Nickles, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, said that he would introduce the bill only to counter legislation making the District a state. Mr. Jackson said that Mr. Nickles' initiative shows panic among Republicans as the possibility of D.C. statehood becomes more realistic. President Bush and most GOP congressional leaders have fought statehood, at least in part because it would almost certainly add two Democratic senators and one Democratic representative to Congress. "The political landscape has changed. Bush has been defeated and we have a president that supports statehood," Mr. Jackson said. "Now they are beginning to draw the line now because they know that statehood is closer now than ever." * Claudia Rosenbaum contributed to this report. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM