by Arlene Mae

Created on: November 26, 2008   Last Updated: August 10, 2010

Living in the District of Columbia is different then any other place in America for three simple reasons. In a nutshell, the District of Columbia is not a state, it does not have sky scrapers and is an almost recession proof city.

1) The first reason is in the name "District of Columbia" or more commonly known as, "Washington D.C." Why is it not the state of Columbia? It may seem to be a play on words but it has a special meaning that most citizens don't realize.

The District of Columbia is not a state; the residents of the district do not have representation in Congress or the Senate. In 1973, the home rule act was passed; the District was given the right to elect a Mayor and a city council to oversee the budget for the Capitol City. The city does have a delegate that attends the House of Representatives, the city delegate does not have a vote but is there to channel ideas and provide input based on the wants and needs of the City Council and citizens.

The District was created by the Federal government to be the federal capital of the United States. The constitution states that the District needed to be separate from the states so that the safety and maintenance of the Federal City would be secure and led by the Congress.

2) The second reason the District of Columbia is different then any other place in America is the building height restriction. In 1899, Congress passed the Heights of Buildings Act to ensure no buildings were taller then the Capitol building. The act was passed to ensure Thomas Jefferson's' vision of the Capitol City to mirror Paris with convenient and low buildings. So in short, no sky scrapers are present in the city, the Washington Monument is the only structure in the District that is taller then the Capitol.

3) The third reason why living in the District of Columbia is different then any other place in America, is because this area is the hub of government jobs. This area is almost recession proof. The number of federal jobs has declined but the number of contractors has increased. This area is home to numerous companies that choose this area for their headquarters, bringing them closer to the government and ruling parties. In support of the government job and contractors, the surrounding areas are engrossed in providing services and residences for this unique work force.

These are the 3 reasons why living in the District of Columbia is different from any other place in America.

Learn more about this author, Arlene Mae.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.