Originally Posted by
hughgs
DE has had income taxes since at least 1979 (when I filed for the first time). As for the lack of sales tax, while individuals don't pay a sales tax it was a wide-spread belief when I was growing up that the businesses paid a sales tax. There were plenty of times we would go into PA, MD, or heaven forbid, NJ to get items because they were cheaper.
As for representation, I think it's hyperbole to argue that the residents of Delmarva are represented by 6 senators. Maybe they are from a strict definition, since they get to vote on them. But, I find it hard to accept the idea that the residents of the Delmarva peninsula see substantial benefits from those 6 senators. From a strictly proportional point of view there are only 9 of 23 MD counties and 2 of 95 VA counties on the peninsula. And maybe you could argue that the Eastern Shore is important enough for the MD senators to make the area a top priority. But, I think you would be hard-pressed to argue that the VA senators make the residents of the Delmarva peninsula a top priority.