DEAR EDITOR:

I read Tex Fischer’s guest column on Aug. 26, 2025, attempting to defend the One Big Beautiful Bill by promoting the provision that eliminates taxes on overtime pay.

The obtuseness of his position is astounding. I don’t think he fully understands what his own words are actually saying. He states that this provision is a “lifeline for families across our state.”

As proof of this lifeline, he cites relief for “a single mom working overtime shifts at a manufacturing plant to cover rising costs for groceries, rent and school supplies. Or a dad pulling extra hours on the road as a trucker to save for his kids’ education or put a new roof on the house.” This statement is proof positive that wages have not kept up with inflation.

This provision provides workers crumbs brushed from the table of the major tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. According to the IRS, the overtime provision is only effective for 2025 through 2028 for qualified overtime compensation that exceeds the regular rate of pay (the ‘half’ portion of ‘time-and-a-half’). Most of the tax relief from this bill goes to the $5 million club.

This is not the win that Fischer seems to think it is. Why can’t workers afford basic necessities while working full-time? That is the question to address. Unions fought hard in this area for living wages, good working conditions and restful time-off that did not rely on overtime to meet basic needs.

Overtime should be icing on the economic cake for savings or luxuries, not the flour built into it for essentials. Fischer states, “In a time when inflation has squeezed household budgets and workforce shortages persist in key industries, this reform will encourage hard work, drive economic growth and help Ohio compete …” As if working 40 hours is not hard enough work. How about addressing inflation and workforce shortages — wonder what is driving those forces?

He also states that this tax relief will strengthen families and provide “more disposable income to boost local businesses and a real incentive for Ohioans to step up when our economy needs them most.” This last part harkens back to when George W. Bush encouraged us to all go shopping after 9/11. I would encourage Fischer to reread his column. From his very example, overtime is needed to meet basic needs and not provide more disposable income.

Those “stories of exhaustion and financial stress from people going the extra mile just trying to get by” are not solved by telling them to work more hours and we’ll drop a dollop of tax relief on the “half-time” additional wages earned.

If you want to strengthen working families, make sure people are paid a living wage and parents are able to be at the kitchen table (with affordable food) helping with homework, or attending their child’s plays and sporting events, or having time off to spend together building family bonds without the additional stress of wondering how to feed, house, and educate their children.

Don’t get me wrong, any tax cut for workers is welcome. It is just not the end-all-be-all Fischer seems to think it is.

MARY ANNE RUDDIS

Youngstown