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Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Washington’s long-term care tax

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Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Washington’s long-term care tax


The ruling is in response to the November lawsuit filed on behalf of three companies within the state and 6 people.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Editor’s be aware: The above video on Gov. Jay Inslee signing a invoice to delay the long-term care fund in Washington initially aired Jan. 27, 2021.

A federal choose has dismissed a category motion lawsuit that was filed by opponents of a compulsory payroll premium to fund Washington state’s delayed long-term care program, saying the courtroom didn’t have jurisdiction as a result of it was a state tax.

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The ruling, filed Monday by Decide Thomas Zilly of the U.S. District Court docket for the Western District of Washington, is in response to the November lawsuit filed on behalf of three companies within the state and 6 people who claimed that this system — often known as the WA Cares Fund — violates a federal legislation that forbids the state from passing any legislation that requires staff to take part in a plan that gives illness or medical advantages.

The swimsuit additionally argued the legislation violated the Equal Safety and the Privileges and Immunities clauses of the U.S. Structure and the Older Employees Profit Safety Act.

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“The Court docket is persuaded that the challenged WA Cares premium constitutes a tax, and the Tax Injunction Act drastically limits federal district courtroom jurisdiction to intervene with so essential a neighborhood concern as the gathering of taxes,” Zilly wrote, citing a 1981 U.S. Supreme Court docket ruling involving property taxes.

“Any authorized problem to WA Cares have to be introduced in state courtroom,” he wrote.

The primary in-the-nation program that created an outlined profit to assist offset the prices of long-term care was delayed by 18 months following legislative motion in January.

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Richard Birmingham, a associate at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP — the agency that filed the swimsuit — wrote in an electronic mail than any pursuit of litigation via the state courts is prone to be delayed till nearer to the brand new July 2023 implementation date to see what additional motion the Legislature could take that might have an effect on the underlying legislation.

The delay got here following criticisms about components of the underlying legislation, and to provide a fee tasked with offering the Legislature coverage choices time to think about different potential adjustments to the legislation, together with probably making the profit transportable for many who pay in and transfer out of state. However the delay additionally got here at a time when opponents had been elevating solvency issues, together with the truth that greater than 470,000 individuals — or roughly 13% of the state’s workforce — had already opted out of this system.

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The .58% of whole pay per paycheck payroll tax that pays for the profit — which was supposed to begin being collected by employers initially of the 12 months— is now delayed till July 1, 2023.

Entry to the profit to pay for issues like in-home care, dwelling modifications like wheelchair ramps and rides to the physician is now delayed from Jan. 1, 2025, till July 1, 2026. The lifetime most of the profit is $36,500, with annual will increase to be decided primarily based on inflation.

Addressing one of many criticisms raised by the lawsuit, the Legislature additionally allowed individuals born earlier than Jan. 1, 1968, who don’t turn into vested in this system as a result of they don’t pay the premium for 10 years, to now qualify for partial advantages underneath the invoice.

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One other invoice accepted this 12 months focused one other concern leveled on the underlying legislation, and allowed individuals who work in Washington however stay in different states to decide out, together with spouses or companions of energetic navy members and momentary employees with nonimmigrant visas.

Republicans have argued that the underlying invoice needs to be repealed, however supporters say it’s a obligatory measure to assist a majority of residents 65 and older who’re prone to require some sort of help to stay independently.

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“After key enhancements to WA Cares throughout this 12 months’s legislative session, this system is about up for achievement in the long run,” Ben Veghte, the director of the WA Cares Fund, stated in a written assertion. “This determination is one other step towards making long-term care accessible for all Washingtonians and setting an instance for the remainder of the nation to comply with.”

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Washington Post Editorial Cartoonist Says She Quit After Brass Rejected Her Donald Trump Sketch

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Washington Post Editorial Cartoonist Says She Quit After Brass Rejected Her Donald Trump Sketch


It appears that another high-profile member of The Washington Post‘s editorial staff has left the paper: Cartoonist Ann Telnaes, who’s been at the outlet for 16 years, announced via Substack Friday that she was quitting after the brass killed her latest illustration featuring president-elect Donald Trump.

“The cartoon that was killed criticizes the billionaire tech and media chief executives who have been doing their best to curry favor with incoming President-elect Trump,” the Pulitzer-Prize winning cartoonist wrote on Substack under the title “Why I Quit The Washington Post.”

“There have been multiple articles recently about these men with lucrative government contracts and an interest in eliminating regulations making their way to Mar-a-lago,” she wrote. “The group in the cartoon included Mark Zuckerberg/Facebook & Meta founder and CEO, Sam Altman/AI CEO, Patrick Soon-Shiong/LA Times publisher, the Walt Disney Company/ABC News, and Jeff Bezos/Washington Post owner.”

Telnaes wrote that she first joined the Post in 2008 as an editorial cartoonist and has had “editorial feedback and productive conversations—and some differences—about cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time I’ve never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now.”

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“While it isn’t uncommon for editorial page editors to object to visual metaphors within a cartoon if it strikes that editor as unclear or isn’t correctly conveying the message intended by the cartoonist, such editorial criticism was not the case regarding this cartoon,” she continued. “To be clear, there have been instances where sketches have been rejected or revisions requested, but never because of the point of view inherent in the cartoon’s commentary. That’s a game changer…and dangerous for a free press.”

She included a “rough of the cartoon killed” in her Substack column. You can read her full column here.

Telnaes is the latest journo to depart the Bezos-owned newspaper. Before the election, three Post journalists stepped down from the editorial board in protest over the publication’s controversial decision not to endorse a presidential candidate, with concerns that it was a way for Bezos to placate Trump. More than 200,000 readers also canceled their digital subscriptions.

Several more staffers have since departed, including managing editor Matea Gold, who’s set to become second-highest ranking leader of the New York Times Washington bureau.

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At the New York Times DealBook Summit in NYC last month, Bezos said he may not be the best owner for the paper from the perspective of “the appearance” of conflict of interest, but defended the decision not to support a candidate in the Post’s editorial pages.

“The pluses of doing this were very small and [endorsements] added to the perceptions of bias if news media are going to try to be objective and independent,” Bezos said, adding that media “is suffering from a crisis of trust.”

It should behave like a “voting machine. They have to count the votes accurately and people have to believe that they count the votes accurately.”

“Not all of it is the media’s fault,” he continued. “But where we can do something we should … We made this decision. I am proud of this decision.”

Bezos then went on to acknowledge that “I am a terrible owner for the Post from the point of view of the appearance of conflict … Probably not a single day goes by where some Amazon executive or Blue Origin executive or some Bezos Earth Fund leader isn’t meeting with a government official somewhere. And so there are always going to be appearances of conflict.”

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Cowboys-Commanders expert predictions: Will Dallas claim season sweep vs. Washington?

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Cowboys-Commanders expert predictions: Will Dallas claim season sweep vs. Washington?


The Dallas Cowboys (7-9) close out the season on Sunday against the Washington Commanders (11-5), who are headed to the playoffs under first-year coach Dan Quinn.

Washington is on a four-game winning streak since losing to Dallas as a double-digit favorite at home just before Thanksgiving.

Will the Cowboys claim the season sweep? The Dallas Morning News columnists and beat writers make their predictions:

Tim Cowlishaw

Cowboys

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The Commanders went from last in the NFC East to first for much of the season before settling behind Philly and clinching a wild card spot last Sunday. With Jayden Daniels as the obvious Rookie of the Year at QB, this is a team on the rise. The Cowboys might spring Trey Lance on us for a while Sunday, which could be a fun show if a bit of a roller coaster. Dallas will be trying to win because it has too many coaches and players hoping to save jobs, but a sweep of Washington doesn’t seem like a fitting ending to this lost season.

Commanders 27, Cowboys 19

Damon Marx

The Cowboys’ playoff hopes were realistically extinguished when QB Dak Prescott was injured in Week 9. We’ve been playing out the string and waiting to hear about coach Mike McCarthy’s fate ever since. That decision will come soon enough, but for now there is one more game against the Commanders, who still have postseason goals within reach. About the only intrigue for the Cowboys will be whether backup QB Trey Lance makes an appearance.

Commanders 27, Cowboys 17

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David Moore

An argument can be made that the Cowboys would be better off losing this game since they won’t make the playoffs. It will improve their draft position. Washington, meanwhile, has the potential to improve its playoff seed with a win. Motivation is clearly on the Commanders’ side. But when has logic ever applied in this rivalry?

Cowboys 24, Commanders 21

Abraham Nudelstejer

The best thing that could happen in this game is the Commanders let quarterback Jayden Daniels work some of his magic before benching him to protect him from a playoff-preventing injury. Washington’s rookie is a sight to behold, running or passing the ball, and seeing him on the field will make the ticket price well worth it. The Cowboys will want to go home with a win, but the Commanders are best equipped, emotionally and physically, to win the regular season’s final game.

Commanders 24, Cowboys 14

Kevin Sherrington

The fact that the most intriguing aspect of the Cowboys’ final game is whether Trey Lance will play tells you all you need to know about this season. No one should care about a third-string QB. We shouldn’t even know who he is. But here we are. Dan Quinn will beat the Cowboys and Jerry Jones will say nice things about his former defensive coordinator and soon we’ll get to the real business of the next head coach. The most disappointing Cowboys season of this century is about to be a wrap, and it can’t come soon enough.

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Commanders 27, Cowboys 20

Calvin Watkins

The season is finally over and the next two weeks will show us what the future holds for the Cowboys. Before we get to that point, Dallas and Washington will play a wild game. We say this because that’s just something we want to see in the regular season finale. Washington is moving on to the postseason and Dallas is moving toward the draft and making decisions on the coaches. As for the game, we’ll take the visiting team.

Commanders 31, Cowboys 27

    Cowboys won’t reveal starting QB vs. Commanders until Sunday, says Jerry Jones
    Arlington PD to enhance security for Cotton Bowl, Cowboys game after New Orleans attack

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Huskies Upset Maryland for 1st B1G Victory

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Huskies Upset Maryland for 1st B1G Victory


Tonight was technically UW’s 3rd conference game in the Big Ten but you’ll be forgiven if it didn’t feel like it after playing only the traditional L.A schools in December. It was the start of a brutal stretch for the Huskies in conference play with the Dawgs taking on a Maryland team that entered 10th nationally in points for and points against per game. But the Huskies stymied Maryland’s 5-star freshman center and pulled away in the 2nd half behind Great Osobor and Zoom Diallo for a 75-69 win and their first ever in a Big Ten conference game. The victory moves the Huskies to 10-4 (1-2) on the season and drops Maryland to 11-3 (1-2).

The Huskies got on the board first as Wilhelm Breidenbach was left open at the three-point line and knocked down the shot from deep. Washington seemed hesitant to attack Maryland’s twin towers lineup inside and were generally content to shoot it from deep. Mekhi Mason missed a trio of 3’s in the first 70 seconds of the game though and Maryland went to the first media timeout up 6-5.

Both teams seemed evenly matched for much of the first half as no team led by more than 3 points until a pair of Julian Reese free throws put the Terps up 25-21 with 5:27 left until the break. The Huskies tied the game back up at 25 but Maryland went on an 8-0 run and led 33-25 with 1:51 remaining in the half.

Washington could have easily shied away at that point but finished strong. Great Osobor made a pair of baskets assisted by freshman Zoom Diallo and then Diallo was fouled with 1.8 seconds remaining and split a pair at the line to make it 33-30 at halftime.

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Things got a little chippy after the break. Those Diallo free throws in the final seconds were UW’s only of the first half while Maryland was just 5/5. There were many more to come as fouls largely dictated the rest of the game.

Maryland came out strong and got off to a 41-32 lead early but Great Osobor answered with a bucket (again assisted by Diallo) to stop the run and then split a pair of free throws. DJ Davis went on a personal 5-0 run to bring the Huskies within a single point and Zoom Diallo knocked down a pair of free throws to give UW their first lead of the 2nd half at 45-44.

With Wilhelm Breidenbach in severe foul trouble, seldom-used center KC Ibekwe got into the game at center and went 2/4 at the free throw line on the same possession after UW rebounded the first miss. Ibekwe is…not known for his free throw shooting and both makes bounced off multiple surfaces before going in the hoop. Nonetheless, it gave UW a 47-46 lead.

UW continued to search for answers with both Breidenbach and Ibekwe saddled with fouls. Luis Kortright saw expanded playing time in the 2nd half and repeatedly muscled Maryland’s guards under the basket for layups. He also ended up guarding 6’10 star freshman Derek Queen for extended stretches. Being unable to push around such a smaller player seemingly bothered Queen who had his worst game in college with just 4 points and 1 rebound despite often having major size advantages. He came in averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds per game.

The fouls continued as Breidenbach fouled out shortly after re-entering with 4 (on a dubious call) but so too did Maryland’s starting point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie. DJ Davis made a pair at the free throw line to put the Dawgs up 59-58 and take the lead for good.

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With 1:31 remaining Maryland was able to get an alley-oop slam off an inbounds pass which cut UW’s lead to just 2 points but Great Osobor answered with an and-1 layup (off an assist from, you guessed it, Zoom Diallo) to stretch it back out to 5. Maryland pressed all game and it caused some late problems as UW had to take a timeout to avoid a 5-second call and threw it away in the final 30 seconds. But the Huskies were able to get the ball to DJ Davis just enough to make the free throws to keep it from ever seriously getting in doubt in the closing seconds.

The margin of victory may not reflect it but this was clearly the best win of the season for Washington. Maryland was ranked 24th in the coaches poll and was 17th at KenPom coming into the contest. Prior to this, UW’s best win was over KenPom’s #73 ranked team in Washington State. Despite students still being on break, the crowd filtered in eventually and Hec Ed got truly loud over the final 10 minutes of game clock once it was clear that Washington had a real shot to pull off the upset.

Washington won the game despite shooting just 5/24 on three-point attempts in part because Maryland was just 2/11. The Terrapins had come into the game with 2 starting guards shooting over 42% from deep on the season.

Great Osobor struggled with turnovers (6) and had several throw aways but generally played good defense against Maryland’s two all-conference caliber centers while putting up 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He made a 3-point shot for the 2nd straight game and had one of his most efficient games from the field. Zoom Diallo didn’t start and had a few freshman moments but was incredible leading the show for most of the night with 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. DJ Davis finished with an incredible stat line of 17 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, and 0 turnovers.

The Huskies are back on the court on Sunday against a ranked Illinois team that evaporated Oregon in Eugene 109-77 (haha).

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