Colonies promise lawsuit over new emigration tax
July 20th, 2011
The Colonial League responded to a proposed surtax on emigrants from Earth with threats of a lawsuit. Colonial League President Savion Hunter was joined by representatives from the 14 colonies who formed the league at a press conference on Arcturus Station yesterday. Hunter accused Earth’s governments of “naked, shameless protectionism that will not stand up in an Alliance Court.” In a white paper released at the conference, League lawyers argue that the proposed tax violates the Alliance Charter, which guarantees a right to free and unrestricted travel and migration within the Alliance, and forbids Earth or Colonial government from regulating interstate or intergalactic commerce. If the suit was successful, the Alliance would face the task of forcing Earth’s governments to repeal local laws, a power which the Alliance has not invoked in 20 years. Lawyers for the Earth governments who proposed the tax refused to comment on the League’s threatened lawsuit.
[Via BBC Galactic Service]
Tags: Arcturus Station, Colonial League, earth, Savion Hunter, Systems Alliance