Yesterday, Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) visited Norwalk, Ohio, where he met with local residents and employees at Sheri’s Coffee House to discuss economic issues and the impact of recent tax legislation. During his visit, Husted highlighted the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which became law in July.
“I had a great afternoon visiting with Ohioans and hearing about what I can continue to do to grow our state’s economy and make life more affordable for families. I helped pass the Working Families Tax Cuts so Ohio workers can keep more of what they earn,” said Husted.
The Working Families Tax Cuts Act aims to lower taxes for working families in Ohio. According to Husted, the law prevents tax increases that would have cost an average American family of four earning $80,000 an additional $1,700 in federal taxes. For Ohio households specifically, the average family would have faced $2,140 more in federal taxes if the law had not passed. The legislation also protects a 20% small business deduction that benefits approximately 842,000 small businesses in Ohio. Other provisions include making the adoption tax credit partially refundable up to $5,000 and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.
In addition to meeting with business owners, Husted spoke with educational leaders at the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio in Independence. He discussed his Food Eligibility for Education and Development (FEED) Act and efforts to expand Workforce Pell Grants.
“Too many low-income students currently risk losing SNAP benefits or avoid training altogether because earnings from work-based learning counts against their total household income. That’s why I introduced the FEED Act. My bill is about helping students, families and employers by aligning public benefits with Ohio’s education and workforce goals. As our state continues to expand career technical education, the FEED Act would remove barriers for students trying to follow those pathways,” said Husted.
He added: “Wherever I go in Ohio, employers tell me they struggle to fill shortages in skilled labor. Workforce Pell Grants fill those needs by aligning federal aid with the certificates and credentials that employers require. That’s why I worked to include Workforce Pell Grants in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. By supporting these training programs, we can connect Ohioans to high-demand careers and strengthen our local and state economies.”
The FEED Act proposes updating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules so that income earned during career technical education programs does not count against a family’s benefits eligibility. This change is intended to encourage participation in job training without risking essential food support.
Workforce Pell Grants are designed to allow students access to federal aid for short-term job training programs lasting as little as eight weeks. These grants aim to provide rapid skill development opportunities without requiring a traditional degree path and make job training more accessible for low-income learners.
