Mike DeWine, Republican Governor of Ohio, said an Ohio benefits reform measure introduced by Senator Jon Husted provides a framework for states to test reforms that facilitate transitions to higher earnings without sudden benefit reductions.
“Public benefits should give people a path to success, not trap them in a cycle of poverty,” said DeWine. “Senator Jon Husted’s proposal is the most thoughtful approach to solving the benefits cliff I’ve seen. and I would be glad for Ohio to be among the pilot states.”
DeWine posted on X in response to a Senate colleague’s announcement of legislation addressing welfare incentives. The update expressed support for the initiative and interest in state-level implementation.
In Ohio, benefits cliffs manifest sharply at 129 percent of the federal poverty level where Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assistance ends abruptly without phaseout, resulting in over $8,000 annual loss for a family of three from a minimal income increase. The state’s minimum wage stood at $8.70 per hour in 2020 with adjustments for inflation affecting eligibility for programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid. Local taxes and child care costs further shape these economic thresholds for recipients.
According to recent data, 36.8 million individuals or 11.1 percent of the U.S. population lived below the poverty line in 2023, with cliffs impacting those earning $13 to $17 hourly through effective tax rates of 17 to 65 percent. Over 127 million people reside in households accessing means-tested aid including school lunches. More than 22 percent of working-age adults received benefits in 2018, a figure likely higher post-pandemic.
DeWine was born on January 5, 1947, in Springfield, Ohio, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami University in 1969 followed by a Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University in 1972. His political career includes roles as Greene County Prosecutor from 1977 to 1981, Ohio State Senator from 1981 to 1982, U.S. Representative for the 7th district from 1983 to 1991, Lieutenant Governor from 1991 to 1994, U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2007, and Ohio Attorney General from 2011 to 2019. He assumed the governorship in 2019 and secured reelection in 2022 as a Republican.
