Bring back the original District of Columbia (and more)...

Map of DC from 1862. Library of Congress image.

The reason that I don't ever argue in favor of retrocession of DC to Maryland, so that DC residents can vote for Senators and have stronger political representation within Congress, is that right now, DC keeps 100% of its income tax revenue. This is something enjoyed by no other center city in the world.

Traditionally, center cities have significant financial burden, providing cultural assets enjoyed by a region but paid for by the city, and having a greater proportion of those of lesser income, who traditionally have greater demand for social and human services, and there is the crime issue, which tends to burden center cities also because of the poverty issue.

I joke these costs borne by center cities end up serving as a quality of life subsidy to suburbs.

By being part of Maryland, just like Montgomery County, which sends more money to Annapolis than it receives back in state services, DC would get screwed, and our money would end up in places like Harford County supporting whatever legislators ended up trading back and forth for deals, votes, and lucre.

But the Washingtonian Magazine offers us a way out. In the November issue, they suggest that Northern Virginia (remember that Alexandria and Arlington were once part of DC), separate off and become its own state. If that were to happen, only then could I see DC joining in with them, especially if it included rich Fairfax and other economically viable parts of Northern Virginia.

In effect we'd keep our money, and we'd get some Senators. Plus, with 600,000+ in population, DC would be able to hold its own vis-a-vis Fairfax County with its more than 1,000,000 population.

See the Washingtonian article, "51st State?" for more, and these articles too:

→ Should the New State Include DC? Outsiders control both DC and Northern Virginia. Why not include both in the 51st state?
→ We Draw the Borders of the 51st State
→ New Dominion of the Imagination
→ Us Against Them