HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

The First Amendment Protects Freelancers, Too.

Views:919
@IJvids

Charlottesville, Virginia, prides itself on welcoming its large community of writers, artists and other freelance creatives with open arms. But recently, for the first time, some members of this community have been told that they’ve been criminals for years. The city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County have decided to require a business license to write novels, and they have assessed thousands of dollars in back taxes against some of their hardworking freelance writers. Now, two of those writers are fighting back.

https://ij.org/case/charlottesville-writer-tax/

Corban Addison Klug and John Hart are bestselling novelists who live and work in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, respectively. Both love being a part of Charlottesville’s creative community and can’t imagine working anywhere else. That’s why they were shocked when they received bills for unpaid “business license taxes.” Both are former lawyers, yet neither imagined that they would need a license when they switched careers to become writers. But Corban and John soon discovered that not everybody has to pay this tax; the Commonwealth exempts many businesses that produce speech: newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Like these businesses, Corban and John also speak for a living, but the city and county have targeted them to the tune of thousands of dollars.

Making matters worse, the law is so vague that tax collectors can go after anyone they want. The result is money-hungry municipalities inventing increasingly creative ways to squeeze revenue out of their citizens. Municipalities across the country have similar requirements, and if Charlottesville succeeds at its latest gambit, many others might follow suit.

Charlottesville’s money-grab isn’t just wrong, it’s unconstitutional. That’s why Corban and John have teamed up with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to file a lawsuit asking for refunds of their business license taxes and challenging their constitutionality under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This cutting-edge lawsuit will vindicate Americans’ right to speak for a living without being burdened by discriminatory taxes.
Donate to IJ: https://ij.org/support/give-now/

    Thumbnail for The Forfeiture Machine Turns Cops into Robbers3:51
    The Forfeiture Machine Turns Cops into Robbers
    IJvids
    1154 views
    Thumbnail for Bernie Sanders apoyó a regímenes comunistas, y aún es relevante16:53
    Bernie Sanders apoyó a regímenes comunistas, y aún es relevante
    ReasonVids
    1026 views
    Thumbnail for Halo 2 Classic - Team Slayer - Ascension (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming11:31
    Halo 2 Classic - Team Slayer - Ascension (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming
    invidious
    301 views
    Thumbnail for Our Mind is Not a Blank Slate: Evolutionary Psychologists Leda Cosmides & John Tooby11:51
    Our Mind is Not a Blank Slate: Evolutionary Psychologists Leda Cosmides & John Tooby
    ReasonVids
    882 views
    Thumbnail for Everybody Is Wrong About Big Tech55:16
    Everybody Is Wrong About Big Tech
    ReasonVids
    901 views
    Thumbnail for Capitalism vs. Slavery...and The New York Times' 1619 Project1:18:51
    Capitalism vs. Slavery...and The New York Times' 1619 Project
    ReasonVids
    756 views
    Thumbnail for A reason not to give up0:59
    A reason not to give up
    bestofupgoat
    438 views
    Thumbnail for "Jesus... What Happened To Us"3:13
    "Jesus... What Happened To Us"
    AOU
    3052 views
    Thumbnail for The things women do for attention these days0:07
    The things women do for attention these days
    Kionite
    118 views
    Thumbnail for 3 Reasons YouTube Shouldn't Censor Downfall Parodies2:50
    3 Reasons YouTube Shouldn't Censor Downfall Parodies
    ReasonVids
    867 views
    Thumbnail for LA Food Police Ban Burger Joints: Is Your City Next?7:57
    LA Food Police Ban Burger Joints: Is Your City Next?
    ReasonVids
    895 views
    Thumbnail for Biden shopping at Target.0:13
    Biden shopping at Target.
    bestofsaidit
    1718 views
    Thumbnail for Get that jew shit out of my face0:06
    Get that jew shit out of my face
    bestofvoatxyz
    546 views
    Thumbnail for Dulcima and her gang0:53
    Dulcima and her gang
    bestofupgoat
    406 views
    Thumbnail for My Glove Saved My Life | Trevor Bauer0:54
    My Glove Saved My Life | Trevor Bauer
    invidious
    56 views
    Thumbnail for How Gold is Refined & Made! | Humphrey Yang0:54
    How Gold is Refined & Made! | Humphrey Yang
    invidious
    4 views
    Thumbnail for Can Elon Musk Keep Ukraine Online?4:40
    Can Elon Musk Keep Ukraine Online?
    ReasonVids
    947 views
    Thumbnail for Abortion & Libertarians: Nick Gillespie, Ronald Bailey, Mollie Hemingway & Katherine Mangu-Ward50:58
    Abortion & Libertarians: Nick Gillespie, Ronald Bailey, Mollie Hemingway & Katherine Mangu-Ward
    ReasonVids
    924 views
    Thumbnail for Live streamer stops an asian getting stabbed and robbed1:00
    Live streamer stops an asian getting stabbed and robbed
    bestofvoatxyz
    1458 views
    Thumbnail for Here is the HD version that was withheld from the defense team. - The HD version clearly shows Kyle did not aim his rifle at the Ziminskis.0:38
    Here is the HD version that was withheld from the defense team. - The HD version clearly shows Kyle did not aim his rifle at the Ziminskis.
    AOU
    1507 views
    Thumbnail for Why Government Funding Hurts PBS & NPR4:21
    Why Government Funding Hurts PBS & NPR
    ReasonVids
    988 views
    Thumbnail for Welfare Pays More than Minimum Wage in 35 States: Q&A with Cato's Michael Tanner6:54
    Welfare Pays More than Minimum Wage in 35 States: Q&A with Cato's Michael Tanner
    ReasonVids
    826 views
    Thumbnail for Magnetic Vibrations, Extreme Satisfaction | Magnet Tricks & Magnetic Games | Magnetic Games3:11
    Magnetic Vibrations, Extreme Satisfaction | Magnet Tricks & Magnetic Games | Magnetic Games
    invidious
    410 views
    Thumbnail for Kickstart Government Twitter Accounts: Uncle Sam Needs Your Help!2:01
    Kickstart Government Twitter Accounts: Uncle Sam Needs Your Help!
    ReasonVids
    812 views
    Thumbnail for Virology is Way Past Its 'Cell' by Date7:56
    Virology is Way Past Its 'Cell' by Date
    bestofsaidit
    588 views

points

Permalink
Reply
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle