If you want to analyze the causes behind Washington’s dysfunction, collective bargaining within the public sector should top the list. Congress can and should remedy this problem by abolishing collective bargaining for the public sector — both for the nation’s capital and the federal government as a whole.
This was made clear during a recent tax dispute over my business that was entirely caused — and perpetuated — by government incompetence.
In this particular case, the incompetence involved the government of the District of Columbia rather than federal authorities. However, incompetency at both levels of government stems from the same cause: a workforce with virtually guaranteed jobs that faces little to no consequence for poor performance.
Tax Liens Threatened
Roughly three weeks ago, I received another notice from the District’s Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) which claimed that my business owed more than $1,000 in unpaid franchise taxes for 2022. It also threatened to place a tax lien on my property, seize my assets, and/or “publicize [my] liability on the Internet,” among other threats made to satisfy my supposed debt:
That sounds very intimidating — undoubtedly because it is designed to intimidate. But there’s one little detail that OTR neglected to mention when breaking out supposed unpaid obligations for 2022: In 2021, my firm overpaid its franchise taxes by a significant amount of $10,631. D.C.’s tax authorities admitted on their own website that I overpaid my 2021 taxes, which would more than wipe out any supposed liability from
