HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

The First Amendment Protects Freelancers, Too.

Views:918
@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
    1152 views
    Thumbnail for Can Elon Musk Keep Ukraine Online?4:40
    Can Elon Musk Keep Ukraine Online?
    ReasonVids
    945 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
    754 views
    Thumbnail for Everybody Is Wrong About Big Tech55:16
    Everybody Is Wrong About Big Tech
    ReasonVids
    898 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
    1506 views
    Thumbnail for Why Government Funding Hurts PBS & NPR4:21
    Why Government Funding Hurts PBS & NPR
    ReasonVids
    985 views
    Thumbnail for The things women do for attention these days0:07
    The things women do for attention these days
    Kionite
    111 views
    Thumbnail for Kickstart Government Twitter Accounts: Uncle Sam Needs Your Help!2:01
    Kickstart Government Twitter Accounts: Uncle Sam Needs Your Help!
    ReasonVids
    810 views
    Thumbnail for Virology is Way Past Its 'Cell' by Date7:56
    Virology is Way Past Its 'Cell' by Date
    bestofsaidit
    585 views
    Thumbnail for Biden shopping at Target.0:13
    Biden shopping at Target.
    bestofsaidit
    1715 views
    Thumbnail for Get that jew shit out of my face0:06
    Get that jew shit out of my face
    bestofvoatxyz
    542 views
    Thumbnail for Pajeets know1:27
    Pajeets know
    bestofvoatxyz
    610 views
    Thumbnail for The Most Heartwarming Tributes in Gaming 🥹 | Bundun0:44
    The Most Heartwarming Tributes in Gaming 🥹 | Bundun
    invidious
    143 views
    Thumbnail for I was denied service at a restaurant in Japan | Japan Eat1:00
    I was denied service at a restaurant in Japan | Japan Eat
    invidious
    67 views
    Thumbnail for মুম্বাই বনাম পাঞ্জাব সেমিফাইনাল-২ আইপিএল ম্যাচ লাইভ খেলা দেখি- MI VS PBKS IPL T-20 Match Live6:34:25
    মুম্বাই বনাম পাঞ্জাব সেমিফাইনাল-২ আইপিএল ম্যাচ লাইভ খেলা দেখি- MI VS PBKS IPL T-20 Match Live
    invidious
    26 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
    923 views
    Thumbnail for A reason not to give up0:59
    A reason not to give up
    bestofupgoat
    437 views
    Thumbnail for "Jesus... What Happened To Us"3:13
    "Jesus... What Happened To Us"
    AOU
    3050 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
    406 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 Live streamer stops an asian getting stabbed and robbed1:00
    Live streamer stops an asian getting stabbed and robbed
    bestofvoatxyz
    1455 views
    Thumbnail for Shall Not Be Infringed | Grunt Speak Shorts20:17
    Shall Not Be Infringed | Grunt Speak Shorts
    Terrence Popp
    677 views
    Thumbnail for Dulcima and her gang0:53
    Dulcima and her gang
    bestofupgoat
    406 views
    Thumbnail for 3 Lies About the Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Recall3:30
    3 Lies About the Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Recall
    ReasonVids
    956 views

points

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