Initial vote shows Washingtonians vote “no” to Initiative 2124 [Video]

SPOKANE, Wash. — As the votes stand right now, Washingtonians are voting to reject Initiative 2124.

Initial results show 44.42% of people voted “Yes” to the initiative, whereas 55.58% of people voted “No” to the initiative.

Initiative 2124 would allow employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of paying the payroll tax and receiving benefits under WA Cares, the state’s long-term services and supports trust health care program.

The WA Cares program was passed in 2019 along partisan lines with Democrats voting in favor and Republicans voting against. Employers were required to begin deducting the tax from paychecks beginning on July 1, 2023. As of 2023, the tax rate was $0.58 per $100 of earnings, meaning an employee earning $50,000 a year would be required to pay $290 per year and an …