The D.C. government, deservedly reviled for walloping taxpayers with pricey parking tickets, costly auto registrations, and other exorbitant fees, is pursuing a yet-more-usurious strategy to separate Washingtonians from their money, as attorney Jeff Breslow discovered last week. Breslow sought to copy a file of public records from the corporations division of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Instead of Xeroxing the records for 50 cents or $1 per page—the standard practice at most government offices—the corporations division only issues “certified” copies, and charges $25 for each document. Since Breslow’s file consisted of three separate documents, the lawyer shelled out $75—for four sheets of paper. DCRA spokeswoman Janet McCormick defends the certification requirement. “Most people who want copies need them for legal use, and for legal use, the copies must be certified,” she says.