Washington payroll tax begins Saturday
By Terry Murry on Friday, June 30th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Beginning Saturday a new payroll tax kicks in for most Washington workers to fund the state’s new long-term care insurance program.
Workers who did not opt out of the Washington Cares Fund will be paying 58 cents for every $100 earned from their paychecks for a lifetime maximum long-term care benefit of $36,500.
Rep. Peter Abbarno (R-Centralia) said the Washington Cares Fund is a bad deal for Washington workers.
“This is short-term, not a long-term, and an inadequate benefit that many, including my kids, who are 11 and 12, will be paying into probably more than they’ll ever get out of,” he said.
For the past two years, Abbarno has offered legislation supported by Republicans to repeal the program, and the tax, but majority Democrats wouldn’t allow a hearing on the bill. That means starting Saturday, someone earning $75,000 annually in Washington will be giving up $435 of their paycheck to the state.
“And that’s money that so many people are going to invest in this program and never receive the benefit from,” Abbarno said.
