The “Nanny State” of Washington has enacted a new social program, paid for by all those who are employed in the state.  Employees will now have half of 1% of their wages withheld, starting in January, for a “long-term care” tax, which will not be active until three years later.  That benefit will be a flat amount, issued once, to apply to long-term care for the person.  The “benefit”, about $36,500, will pay for less than three months of care.  There is an opt-out provision in the new law; however, if a person chooses to opt out, they will be required to purchase private long-term-care insurance.  I know from bitter experience, that LTC insurance is extremely expensive, and getting more expensive every year.

When I had a long-term-care insurance policy, which I got in my 50s, the original premium was $1,800 per year.  When I relinquished my policy, in my early 70s, the premium had risen to $4,000 per year, and was still rising.  So, with the new requirement in Washington State, employees will be caught between the proverbial rock and hard place.  They can either see their wages diminished for the rest of their working lives, or be forced, by the State, to purchase extremely expensive insurance that most working people can’t afford, even in their wildest dreams.

What the Left really wants, is for all employees to simply receive an allowance from the Government for their daily needs (which needs are defined by government), and the government, which deems that all wages belong to them first, pays for everything, and controls everything in the citizens’ lives.

I wonder how many people will leave the labor force, as the State takes more and more of their earnings for its favorite socialist programs.  Once the new program takes effect in January, employees in Washington State will be having close to 1% removed from their paychecks to pay for “family leave” and “long term care”.  Then, there’s the “capital gains tax” that the state swears is not an income tax; and the Seattle “big business tax”, which they swear is not an income tax for high-earners.  And then, there is the new, higher gasoline tax, to fund the State’s “green energy” boondoggle, on top of the already-skyrocketing price for gas here.  More than one of my local stations now charges over $4.00 per gallon for Regular gas.

I was considering going back to work, since I’m not fond of being on the government dole in retirement.  Now I’m reconsidering, since I refuse to pay the new LTC tax, and I am too old to afford LTC in the private market.  Thanks, Dictator Inslee and the Socialist Democrats who run this state.  We’re leaving as soon as we can.  And you can go straight to Hell in your leaky, socialist handbasket.